Who is running for governor of michigan

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LANSING — The biggest statewide race in Tuesday's primary is the Republican contest to see who will go up against Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Nov. 8.

There are five candidates on the ballot, after five others were disqualified in May for submitting too many forged signatures, in a scandal the former candidates are blaming on unscrupulous signature gatherers and some of the companies that hired them.

One of the disqualified candidates, former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, is continuing to campaign as a write-in candidate.

On the Democratic side, Whitmer, who is seeking a second four-year term, is the only choice.

Republican challengers to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson were endorsed at a state party convention and do not compete in a primary.

Here is a look at the Republicans on the primary ballot:

Tudor Dixon

Residence: Norton Shores, Muskegon County

Age: 45

Occupation: Dixon has worked in the steel industry and in media, including a stint as a conservative commentator on cable TV's "Real America's Voice."

Issues: Dixon is highly critical of Whitmer's handling of the pandemic, saying too many businesses were closed for too long and children suffered from a lack of in-person learning. She also says nursing home residents, including her own grandmother, suffered needlessly as a result of excessive restrictions on family visits. On education, Dixon believes Michigan's per-pupil grant should follow the student, including to private schools, which would require a constitutional amendment. She is alone among the five candidates in not calling for big cuts to higher education spending. Early in the campaign, Dixon said changes in election practices in Michigan created the potential for fraud, but did not say fraud affected outcomes. Later, she said she believes former President Donald Trump was the rightful winner of the presidential election, although as recently as Sunday she deflected that question. Dixon opposes abortion rights, with no exceptions for rape or incest.

Education: Bachelor's degree in psychology, University of Kentucky

Family: Married with four children

Endorsements: Former President Donald Trump, the DeVos family, Right to Life of Michigan, the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Police Officers Association of Michigan, Conservative Political Action Conference, U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, U.S. Rep Lisa McClain, state Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, former Gov. John Engler.

Website: https://www.tudordixon.com/

[ Full Tudor Dixon profile ]

Ryan Kelley

Residence: Allendale Township, Ottawa County

Age: 41

Occupation: Real estate broker

Issues: Kelley was a leader in the fight against Whitmer's pandemic orders and also active in the "Stop the Steal" movement promoting, without evidence, claims that fraud tilted the election outcome in favor of President Joe Biden. Kelley, who faces misdemeanor charges arising from his presence at the Jan. 6, 2021 U.S. Capitol riot, says he would declare the COVID-19 pandemic over on his first day as governor, favor a reversal of the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that legalized gay marriage, and eliminate all government jobs related to "diversity, equity, and inclusion." He says he would also move the state to zero-based budgeting where each agency would have to justify its annual expenditures as if starting from scratch, sharply reduce Michigan's 6% corporate income tax and ban abortions except to save the life of the pregnant person, with no exceptions for rape or incest.

Enter your address for information on which races and candidates will be on your ballot for the Michigan primary election on Aug. 2.

Education: Studied electronics engineering at Grand Rapids Community College, but did not graduate

Family: Married with six children

Endorsements: National Firearms Coalition, Michigan Coalition for Freedom, Michigan Health Choice Alliance PAC, American Patriots Forum, former state Sen. Patrick Colbeck, former state Rep. Kevin Green.

Website: https://ryandkelley.com/

[ Full Ryan Kelley profile ]

Ralph Rebandt

Residence: Farmington Hills, Oakland County

Age: 64

Occupation: Retired pastor, police chaplain

Issues: Rebandt says he wants to make the Bible the primary textbook in public schools — a change that would be prohibited under the U.S. Supreme Court's current interpretation of the establishment clause of the constitution. He says he would eliminate state funding for public universities, though unspecified amounts would be allocated to students to use at the postsecondary school of their choice. He favors releasing more nonviolent offenders from prison and says the state could save money by relying more on faith-based organizations to work with offenders. Rebandt says Trump was the rightful winner of the presidential election and filed a notarized statement with the Legislature alleging he witnessed illegal activity while observing the counting of absentee ballots in Detroit. Similar claims were rejected by Michigan courts. Rebandt opposes abortion rights, with no exceptions.

More: Most Michigan GOP governor candidates would have nixed $600M incentive GM received

More: GOP candidates for governor attack one another at Oakland University debate

Education: Bachelor's Degree in religious education from Pennsylvania's Summit University; master's in religious education and master of divinity from Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia.

Family: Married with four grown children

Endorsements: Southeastern Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police, My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell, Michigan Health Choice Alliance PAC.

Website: https://www.ralphrebandtforgovernor.com/

[ Full Ralph Rebandt profile ]

Kevin Rinke

Residence: Bloomfield Township, Oakland County

Age: 61

Occupation: Businessman

Issues: Rinke would eliminate the state income tax, which brings in close to $13 billion a year. He has not specified what if any programs he would eliminate, but says significant recent increases in the overall budget would make the change more manageable and economic growth resulting from the change would generate additional state revenue. Though he has pointed to voter fraud and ran a TV ad about dead Democrats voting, Rinke is alone among the five candidates in declining to say that Trump was the rightful winner of the 2020 presidential election, although Dixon recently skirted the question. Rinke is critical of Whitmer's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic for reasons similar to those voiced by the other Republican candidates. He would allow tax credits for donations to private schools. On abortion, Rinke also stands alone in the GOP primary field in favoring exceptions to an abortion ban in cases of rape, incest, and to save the life of the pregnant person.

Education: Bachelor's degree, Michigan State University

Family: Married with three grown children

Endorsements: Former gubernatorial candidate and Michigan State Police Capt. Mike Brown, Michigan-born rocker Ted Nugent, conservative broadcaster and author Hugh Hewitt, former state Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker.

Website: https://rinkeformichigan.com/

[ Full Kevin Rinke profile ]

Garrett Soldano

Residence: Texas Township, Kalamazoo County

Age: 44

Occupation: Chiropractor

Issues: An early leader of groups opposing Whitmer's management of the pandemic, Soldano says he opposes vaccine mandates, even when imposed by private employers. Though he is the only GOP gubernatorial candidate who says he would have agreed to pay GM the more than $600 million in incentives the state has promised it to help attract $7 billion in investment and two new Michigan manufacturing plants, Soldano says he generally favors lower taxes and regulations over direct incentives. On education, he says he favors parental choice and parental rights over "partisan teachers unions," and, like the other four candidates, would ban critical race theory. He wants to eliminate the personal income tax and further reduce corporate taxes but said any spending cuts would first be identified through "forensic accounting." Soldano believes Trump won the 2020 presidential election and opposes abortion rights, with no exceptions for rape or incest.

Education: Bachelor's degree in criminal justice, Western Michigan University

Family: Married father of two

Endorsements: This information has been requested from the campaign.

Website: https://garrettformichigan.com/home/

[ Full Garrett Soldano profile ] 

Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or . Follow him on Twitter @paulegan4. Read more on Michigan politics and sign up for our elections newsletter. 

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