{"id":2628606,"date":"2026-07-11T12:42:44","date_gmt":"2026-07-11T16:42:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/race-claims-challenge-trumps-candidate-for-michigan-governor\/"},"modified":"2026-07-11T12:43:31","modified_gmt":"2026-07-11T16:43:31","slug":"race-claims-challenge-trumps-candidate-for-michigan-governor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/race-claims-challenge-trumps-candidate-for-michigan-governor\/","title":{"rendered":"Race claims challenge Trump&#8217;s candidate for Michigan governor"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Frace-claims-challenge-trumps-candidate-for-michigan-governor%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2628606&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Michigan gubernatorial candidate John James, a Black U.S. representative endorsed by Donald Trump, criticized his Republican rival Perry Johnson for accusing him of <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >race-based political tactics amid<\/a> their primary campaign to succeed Governor Gretchen Whitmer. James dismissed the accusations, highlighting his Trump endorsement and condemning Johnson\u2019s attacks, which include accusations of using race as a political tool and labeling him as a &#8220;DEI candidate.&#8221; The campaign has been highly combative, with Johnson demanding James apologize for a controversial remark during a debate, where James referenced the history of racial injustice in response to a comment about Johnson&#8217;s data center donations. Additionally,Johnson criticized James&#8217;s comments on race from 2020,and challenged his background,suggesting he is out of touch with everyday workers.James responded by emphasizing his working-class roots, contrasting with Johnson&#8217;s billionaire-backed campaign and his own family\u2019s modest beginnings, including his father&#8217;s history as a truck driver and a sharecropper. The rivalry also includes legal disputes over campaign branding and ongoing personal attacks.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/michigan\/\">Michigan <\/a>gubernatorial candidate John James on Friday denounced his rival for the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republicans\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"240\">Republican<\/a> nomination for claiming he is weaponizing race in the contest. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">James, a U.S. representative since 2023 who is black and endorsed by President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"4\">Donald Trump<\/a>, appears to be the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/polls\/michigan-governor-election-polls-2026.html\">GOP\u2019s frontrunner<\/a> in the increasingly combative campaign to succeed Gov.<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/gretchen-whitmer\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"2550\"> Gretchen Whitmer<\/a> (D-MI), ahead of the August 4 <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/primaries\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"2655\">primary election<\/a>. One of his top rivals for the nomination, businessman Perry Johnson, has repeatedly accused him of seeking to benefit from his race during the campaign, calling him a \u201c<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/dei\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"3088\">DEI<\/a> candidate\u201d and accusing him of \u201cusing the race card.\u201d<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4643652\/dsa-democratic-socialist-primary-victories-joe-concha\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Democratic Socialists of America want to \u2018tear the whole\u2019 country down: Joe Concha<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4642175\/democratic-establishment-is-dead-joe-concha-dsa-taking-over-melat-kiros\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Democratic establishment is \u2018dead\u2019: Joe Concha<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4641501\/harmeet-dhillon-states-homework-voter-rolls-midterms\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>DOJ\u2019s Harmeet Dhillon: Some states have \u2018homework to do\u2019 to keep noncitizens from voting in midterm elections<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">James responded on Friday,<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wzzm13.com\/article\/news\/local\/perry-is-desperate-john-james-responds-after-debate-controversy-sparks-apology-demand\/69-45959408-1bd0-49ae-9ad4-754165fe241f\"> telling<\/a> a local newscaster that \u201cPerry is desperate.\u201d <\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019ve been endorsed by President Trump, and I\u2019m excited and proud of that,\u201d he said. \u201cPerry Johnson spent $30 million primarying the president \u2026 now spending $25 million against me for his vanity campaign. That\u2019s over $60 million for a career candidate who\u2019s never won anything.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">James\u2019 comments responded to Johnson\u2019s demand that he apologize for a statement he made during<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.woodtv.com\/news\/elections\/debate-week-in-michigan-republican-governor-primary-candidates\/\"> a gubernatorial debate last Thursday<\/a>. During the debate, Johnson criticized James for accepting donations with ties to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/data-center-bill-dies-in-virginia-house\/\" title=\"Virginia House kills data center bill\">data center developers<\/a>. Both James and Johnson back a moratorium on data centers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPerry, I know when you were born, Black people could still be bought and sold in this country, but no one owns me,\u201d James responded. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The remark outraged Johnson. He demanded James apologize, telling reporters Friday his opponent was \u201cusing the race card\u201d to distract from policy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s a shameful attempt to really distract from the favor-based relationship he has with special interest groups,\u201d Johnson said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Johnson and James have had an intensely combative relationship since launching their campaigns to flip the governor\u2019s seat red. In April, Johnson <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4539915\/perry-johnson-john-james-campaign-logo-lawsuit\/\">filed a lawsuit <\/a>challenging James\u2019 campaign logo that read \u201cJohn James Governor,\u201d arguing that it was misleading to voters. The move forced James\u2019 campaign to rebrand materials to read \u201cJohn James Michigan,\u201d as the case continues to play out in court. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Johnson has criticized James <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2020\/07\/08\/us\/politics\/john-james-michigan-senate.html\">for comments <\/a>he made in 2020 to the <em>New York Times<\/em> on race. At the time, James was responding to the phrase \u201call lives matter,\u201d which countered the Black Lives Matter movement. James said it was similar to saying \u201ceverybody\u2019s parents die,\u201d in response to the death of his father.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cA response of \u2018all lives matter\u2019 would be truthful,\u201d he told the outlet at the time, \u201cbut it would also be hurtful and cruel in the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Johnson has also claimed in an ad campaign that James is \u201cThe DEI Candidate.\u201d Johnson says he is \u201ccolorblind\u201d and has expressed concern that \u201cwoke\u201d Diversity, Equity and Inclusion awards were given to James\u2019s family company,\u00a0 Group International. The company in 2023 was chosen for a National Black Supplier Development Program created to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/after-arizona-ag-slammed-uber-doordash-for-offering-free-delivery-for-black-owned-businesses-companies-settle-civil-rights-cases\/\" title=\"After Arizona AG Slammed Uber, DoorDash For Offering Free Delivery For ...-Owned Businesses, Companies Settle Civil Rights Cases\">support black-owned businesses<\/a> following Floyd\u2019s death, according to the Detroit Regional Chamber.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">James\u2019 other rival in the race, former Attorney General Mike Cox, has also leveled attacks on his opponent, calling him a \u201cnepo-baby\u201d since he helped lead the company his dad founded. During the Thursday night debate, Cox suggested that since James is the \u201cson of a CEO,\u201d he is out of touch with those who have lost manufacturing jobs in the state. \u201cI know how to get it done because I\u2019m a son of the working class; I\u2019m not the son of the CEO class,\u201d Cox said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4533670\/democrats-israel-support-divide-senate-vote\/\"><strong>EROSION OF DEMOCRATIC SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL RAISES FEARS OF LASTING PARTISAN SPLIT<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">James clapped back.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMike Cox, I\u2019m the son of a CEO who was a truck driver,\u201d he said. \u201cHis father was a mason. His father was a sharecropper, and his father was a slave. How dare you shame the steps it takes to come up from Mississippi and build a life of prosperity for a family like mine.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>John James denounces rival\u2019s race weaponization in GOP race<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3142,"featured_media":2628607,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26101576253560_d9af83.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[38267,37975,36457,71559,82580],"class_list":["post-2628606","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-election-challenge","tag-michigan-politics","tag-political-rivalry","tag-race-controversy","tag-trump-candidate"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26101576253560_d9af83.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2628606","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3142"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2628606"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2628606\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2628610,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2628606\/revisions\/2628610"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2628607"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2628606"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2628606"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2628606"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}