James and Johnson Certified for Michigan Governor Ballot Despite Challenges
Michigan election officials certified petitions for Rep. John James and Perry Johnson despite fraud allegations, while rejecting two other GOP gubernatorial hopefuls.
LANSING, MICHIGAN — The Michigan Board of State Canvassers certified nominating petitions Thursday for U.S. Rep. John James and businessman Perry Johnson, allowing both Republican gubernatorial candidates to appear on the ballot despite allegations of signature fraud.
The four-member board, consisting of two Democrats and two Republicans, agreed with Michigan Bureau of Elections recommendations that both candidates submitted enough valid signatures to meet the 15,000 threshold required for ballot access.
The decision follows challenges filed by supporters of both campaigns in early May, with each side accusing the other of submitting fraudulent signatures in their nominating petitions.
Previous Fraud Scandal Shadows Race
Johnson, who previously ran for governor in 2022, was among five Republican candidates disqualified in a signature fraud scandal that resulted in criminal convictions. Two individuals were found guilty of criminal enterprise and several counts of election law forgery in connection with the scandal.
The shadow of that controversy continued to hang over this year’s race, with new allegations emerging just before Thursday’s canvasser meeting.
Board Composition Raises Questions
The certification decision was made by a board that includes Republican Commissioner Paul Cordes, who previously served as campaign manager for Johnson’s 2024 presidential campaign. The potential conflict of interest added another layer of scrutiny to the proceedings.
Meanwhile, the board rejected petitions for two other Republican candidates, Smith and Rebandt, whose campaigns failed to meet the signature requirements for ballot access.
Last-Minute Allegations Surface
The Detroit News received an affidavit from Johnson’s campaign staff Wednesday alleging improper handling of petition signatures. The affidavit claimed that the campaign added required disclaimers to petitions containing signatures from 10,000 voters after collection.
Despite these allegations and the ongoing challenges between the campaigns, both James and Johnson will advance to compete in the Republican primary for governor.
James, who represents Michigan’s 10th congressional district and resides in Shelby Township, and Johnson, a businessman with previous gubernatorial experience, now move forward as the primary Republican contenders in the race.
The certification ensures that Michigan Republicans will have at least two major candidates to choose from in their gubernatorial primary, setting up what promises to be a contentious race between the congressman and the businessman.
