DETROIT — U.S. Rep. John James won the Republican nomination for Michigan governor on Tuesday, setting the stage for a high-profile general election fight with Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.
James, who has represented parts of suburban Detroit in Congress since 2023 after two unsuccessful U.S. Senate campaigns, defeated businessman Perry Johnson, a wealthy entrepreneur who also mounted a long-shot bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
The Associated Press called the GOP primary for James at 10:24 p.m. EDT, with roughly 25% of ballots counted and James leading Johnson 50% to 36%.
With President Donald Trump’s endorsement behind him, James entered the race as the clear favorite and strengthened his position as several prominent Michigan Republicans exited the primary and backed his campaign, including former state Attorney General Mike Cox, former state House Speaker Tom Leonard and Michigan Senate GOP Leader Aric Nesbitt.
“A West Point Graduate, Combat Pilot, Brave Iraq War Veteran, Successful Businessman and Job Creator, and now, as a Highly Respected U.S. Congressman, John has proven he has the Courage and Wisdom to deliver strong results,” Trump wrote Monday on Truth Social.
Johnson, who previously sought the Michigan governorship in 2022, took a combative approach in the primary, attacking James as a “DEI candidate” and accusing him of playing the “race card.”
The businessman also amplified allegations that James had been involved in an extramarital affair, claims the congressman’s campaign forcefully rejected.
Before winning a House seat, James ran for the U.S. Senate in 2018 and again in 2020. In his second attempt, he came within 1.7 percentage points of defeating Democratic incumbent Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan.
James was lagging Benson by 7.3 percentage points in the latest RealClearPolitics polling aggregate.
Benson has served as Michigan secretary of state since 2019 and cruised to victory in her primary against Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson: 85-16% with less than a fifth of the vote tallied.
Republicans have not won the Michigan governorship since Rick Snyder was elected to a second term in 2014.
