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Tudor Dixon’s name will officially be on the ballot for Michigan governor after winning the primary race on Tuesday, theAssociated Pressreports.
Dixon will now go up against Democratic incumbentGretchen Whitmer, who’s also considereda possible candidatefor the 2024 presidential election.
The conservative media personality led the Republican gubernatorial primary election with the majority of the votes after facing off against four male candidates: Kevin Rinke, Garrett Soldano, Ryan Kelley, and Ralph Rebandt, perNPR.
In response to Dixon’s victory, Nancy Wang, executive director ofVoters Not Politicians– the preeminent voting rights and democracy organization in Michigan – said in a statement: “Tonight we are dismayed to see the GOP celebrate and validate the gubernatorial candidacy of a well-known election denier, who has repeatedly shown she is a danger to our democracy.”
Dixon, a businesswoman who garnered an endorsement from former PresidentDonald Trumpon Friday, perNPR, was also a favorite with party members like the family of Betsy DeVos, the previous U.S. Secretary of Education.
Soldano, a chiropractor who was the first Republican to solicit signatures to get his name on the ballot, previously said his integrity was the reason he rose to the top of the race.
Candidate Rinke touted his campaign as one that was self-funded, and scoffed at Trump’s endorsement for Dixon, stating shortly after, “The president has lost people across the country where he has endorsed. His candidates — he is batting 50%. It’s not a for sure thing,” according toDetroit News.
Retired pastor Rebandt ran his campaign on the idea of putting God at the head of the state’s school systems. “The Bible should be the chief or primary textbook in the school system,” he previously toldDetroit Free Press.
PEOPLE confirmed at the time through online records that FBI agents arrested Kelley in Allendale, Mich., one day after a criminal complaint was filed against him in federal court.
According to the complaint, he was charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; knowingly engaging in any act of physical violence against a person or property in any restricted building or grounds; and willfully injuring or committing any depredation against any property of the United States.
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Among those disqualified were former Detroit Police Chief James Craig and businessman Perry Johnson, who had been considered among the top candidates for the Republican nomination.
source: people.com
