How Trump-endorsed candidates fared in Michigan GOP primaries

Clara Hendrickson, Detroit Free Press
·6 min read
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Former President Donald Trump speaks during a Save America rally at the Michigan Stars Sports Center in Washington Township on April 2, 2022.
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Michigan's August primary — the first statewide election since 2020 — served as a first test of the enduring strength of former President Donald Trump among conservatives in a key midterm election year in the battleground state.

Heading into the primary, Trump issued a bevy of endorsements, backing candidates who have embraced his false claims that the last election was stolen from him. While he stayed out of the crowded field in the GOP gubernatorial primary for most of the campaign, he weighed in with a last-minute endorsement of Tudor Dixon, the Norton Shores businesswoman and former conservative TV commentator.

The vast majority of candidates who received Trump's backing had an easy path to victory in their primaries.

But he also supported candidates running against sitting Republican lawmakers seeking reelection in the state Legislature, pitting GOP incumbents against formidable challengers in solidly Republican districts. Trump has so far endorsed more state legislative candidates in Michigan than any other state.

Here's how Trump's picks fared in the primary Tuesday.

GOP gubernatorial primary

Dixon won the GOP gubernatorial primary. The Associated Press called the election for Dixon at about 9:45 p.m. Tuesday. She led the five-candidate field with 51% of the vote with about 98% of the vote counted, according to unofficial results. Despite pleas from some Republicans to stay out of the race, Trump announced his support of Dixon with a late endorsement the Friday before Election Day.

Trump had largely stayed silent in the race throughout a bitter primary campaign that saw the GOP candidates vying to unseat Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer trying prove their staunch support of the former president to Republican voters. Political analysts had long billed Trump's endorsement in the race as key to emerging as the winner among a crowded field of candidates without a clear frontrunner.

Trump has also weighed in on the other two statewide races that will be on the November ballot, endorsing Republicans Kristina Karamo for secretary of state and Matt DePerno for attorney general.

Both have embraced Trump's false claims that the 2020 election was rife with widespread fraud and hope to unseat the Democratic incumbents Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana Nessel.

The pair received the endorsement of the Michigan GOP and are expected to receive the party's nomination at a convention later this month.

GOP congressional primaries

The GOP congressional primary between U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer, R-Grand Rapids, and John Gibbs of Byron Center, was the only one in which Trump endorsed the challenger to a Republican member of Michigan's congressional delegation running for reelection.

During the campaign, Gibbs — a former Trump administration official who worked in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — zeroed in on Meijer's vote to impeach Trump for inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection.

More: Donald Trump endorses Tudor Dixon in Republican race for governor

More: Despite Trump's support, John Gibbs far behind Rep. Meijer in raising cash

Gibbs won the primary against Meijer and will face Democrat Hillary Scholten, who ran unopposed in her party's primary. He led Meijer 52%-48% with about 99% of the votes counted, per unofficial election results.

Scholten lost to Meijer by just under six percentage points in 2020. The newly drawn 3rd congressional district that pairs Democratic-leaning Grand Rapids and Muskegon is much more competitive than the district Meijer currently represents.

John James was the second non-incumbent GOP congressional candidate endorsed by Trump. James won his Republican primary Tuesday. He received 86% of the vote with 99% of the votes reported, according to unofficial results compiled by the Associated Press. He previously lost two campaigns to represent Michigan in the U.S. Senate but could have a chance to serve in Congress if he wins the election this fall to represent voters in a new competitive congressional district that includes part of Macomb County along with Rochester and Rochester Hills.

Trump-backed GOP incumbents easily won their primaries Tuesday, according to the Associated Press. They include U.S. Reps. Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet; Bill Huizenga, R-Holland Township; Lisa McClain, R-Bruce Township; John Moolenaar, R-Midland and Tim Walberg, R-Tipton.

More: 2 GOP state lawmakers upset Trump challengers in Michigan primaries

GOP state legislative primaries

Trump endorsed three challengers to sitting state lawmakers seeking reelection. Only one succeeded in defeating the GOP incumbent.

  • 17th state Senate GOP primary: Trump-backed Jonathan Lindsey defeated state Sen. Kim LaSata, R-Niles in this southern border district that includes part of Hillsdale County and extends west through Berrien County. Lindsey led LaSata 61%-39% with 99% of the votes reported, according to unofficial results compiled by the Associated Press.

  • 22nd state Senate GOP primary: Trump-backed Mike Detmer lost his primary against state Sen. Lana Theis, R-Brighton in this solidly Republican district that encompasses all of Livingston County and parts of surrounding counties. Theis led Detmer 58%-42% with 99% of the votes reported, according to unofficial results compiled by the Associated Press.

  • 88th state House GOP primary: State Rep. Greg VanWoerkom, R-Norton Shores won his primary against Trump-backed Mick Bricker. VanWoerkom led Bricker 63%-37% with 99% of the votes reported, according to unofficial results compiled by the Associated Press.

State Rep. Matt Maddock, R-Milford, an avid Trump ally who is vying to serve as the next GOP leader in the state House was the only incumbent who received the former president's endorsement. He ran unopposed in his party's primary in a district that spans western Oakland County.

Trump also weighed in on a number of GOP primaries without incumbents. One of his picks – Jon Rocha – was disqualified and never made the primary ballot. But three of his picks won their races Tuesday:

  • 43rd state House GOP primary: Trump-endorsed Rachelle Smit won her GOP primary in this west Michigan district that includes parts of Allegan, Barry and Eaton counties. Smit led the four-candidate GOP primary field with 50% of the vote, with 99% of the votes reported, according to unofficial results compiled by the Associated Press.

  • 63rd state House GOP primary: Jacky Eubanks, who received Trump's endorsement last year, lost her GOP primary. She caught Trump's attention after she undertook a door-to-door canvassing effort that tried and failed to document voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election in Macomb County, according to officials. Eubanks is running for election in a district that includes parts of Macomb and St. Clair counties. Eubanks received 29% of the vote in the three-candidate primary, with 99% of the votes compiled by the Associated Press.

  • 71st state House GOP primary: Trump-endorsed Kevin Rathbun lost his GOP primary in this district that includes parts of Genesee, Saginaw and Shiawassee counties. Brian BeGole won the primary, leading Rathbun 37%-46% with 99% of the votes reported, according to unofficial results compiled by the Associated Press.

  • 79th state House GOP primary: Angela Rigas, who received Trump's endorsement last year, won her party's primary in a west Michigan district that includes parts of Allegan, Barry and Kent counties. Rigas led the three-candidate field with 59% with 99% of the votes reported, according to unofficial results compiled by the Associated Press.

  • 99th state House GOP primary: Trump-endorsed Mike Hoadley won his party's primary in this district that includes all of Arenac, Iosco, Ogemaw and parts of Bay, Clare and Gladwin counties. Hoadley led the four-candidate field with 58%, with 99% of the votes reported, according to unofficial results compiled by the Associated Press.

Clara Hendrickson fact-checks Michigan issues and politics as a corps member with Report for America, an initiative of The GroundTruth Project. Make a tax-deductible contribution to support her work at bit.ly/freepRFA. Contact her at chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743. Follow her on Twitter @clarajanehen.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Trump endorsed candidates in Michigan primary: How Dixon, others fared