U.S. Representative John James, who received an endorsement from President Trump, emerged as the projected winner of the Republican gubernatorial primary in Michigan. As of 10:47 p.m., unofficial results indicated James leading with 155,109 votes, compared to businessman Perry Johnson’s 111,942 votes. James is set to compete against Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, who secured the Democratic primary.
The Candidates
In April 2025, U.S. Rep. John James announced his candidacy for governor. James, an eight-year U.S. Army aviation officer and former president of a logistics group, has a history of political campaigns. He previously lost Senate races in 2018 and 2020 to incumbents Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters. However, he defeated Democrat Carl Marlinga in both the 2022 and 2024 elections.
James’ gubernatorial campaign means Michigan’s 10th Congressional seat is available. He emphasized the importance of having a strong top of the ticket for broad Republican success. Besides Trump’s endorsement, James received support from former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox and Rep. Aric Nesbitt, both of whom exited the primary in his favor.
Perry Johnson, an auto industry businessman, started his gubernatorial campaign in January 2026. He faced disqualification due to petition issues in the 2022 governor’s race. Johnson also ran for the presidency in 2024 but did not qualify for debates.
Johnson highlighted his business success in improving the auto industry and aims to apply this efficiency to state governance. His platform promises better services at lower costs through accountability and results orientation.
Key Issues
While serving in Congress, James prioritized national security, energy independence, and law enforcement support. He recently focused on addressing Canadian wildfire smoke affecting Michigan, advocating for action from Canadian officials to mitigate wildfire impact. As governor, he plans to focus on Michigan’s water, land, and air preservation, emphasizing resilience against extreme weather across all seasons.
Johnson’s major proposals include eliminating Michigan’s state income tax, suggesting typical families could retain about $4,747 per year. To manage the revenue reduction, he plans to audit state spending to ensure efficient use of funds and reformation of property tax policies.
Johnson is self-funding his campaign, citing early life financial struggles as a grounding influence on his perspective. He believes his background offers unique insights into effectively managing public funds.
Christina Zhang contributed to this report.