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John James Caught Lying About Charity Donations as RGA’s Recruitment Failure in Michigan Drags On
As the Michigan GOP struggles to find a legitimate candidate to run for governor, the Detroit News reported yesterday that two-time failed politician and potential gubernatorial back-up option John James failed to follow through with a commitment to donate 5% of his campaign contributions to charity — a promise that was central to his losing Senate campaign.
This latest major broken promise from James is just the latest example of how the Republican Party in Michigan remains in a state of disaster. With extremist GOP leadership in Michigan under fire for their dangerous, violent rhetoric, the party is scrambling to find gubernatorial candidates who resemble anything close to credible. Yet, their possibilities are dwindling: “Dream candidate” Candice Miller passed on running, so did RNC chair Ronna McDaniel amid reporting by the Free Press that “the GOP has no top-tier candidate for governor and no assurances it will get one.”
The RGA’s recruitment pains extend beyond Michigan, where few Republicans are willing to enter a primary that would require doubling down on Trump’s extremist policies and dangerous record in order to win over his supporters. Already, Republicans across the country are refusing to run, from Boyd Rutherford in Maryland, Rep. Pete Stauber in Minnesota, Senator Pat Toomey in Pennsylvania, and Mayor Erin Stewart in Connecticut, among others.
“With two-time failed politician John James lying about donating to charities, the choices for viable GOP gubernatorial candidates in Michigan just got even weaker,” said DGA Deputy Communications Director Sam Newton. “As the Michigan GOP remains a complete mess, the only potential Republicans in Michigan willing to throw their hat in the race are C-list nobodies and far-right insurrectionists. In Michigan and across the country, Republicans are less-than-eager to dive headfirst into a popularity contest for Donald Trump’s far-right base. As their recruitment issues drag on, the RGA is running out of options.”
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