Tudor Dixon wins Michigan's Republican primary for governor
- Samuel Robinson, author of Axios Detroit
Tudor Dixon, Republican gubernatorial candidate for Michigan, speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida, U.S., on Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. Photo: Tristan Wheelock/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Tudor Dixon, a conservative commentator turned gubernatorial candidate, will face Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in November after winning the Republican primary, the Associated Press reports.
Driving the news: Dixon received former President Donald Trump’s backing late last Friday despite her opponents pleading with the former president to stay out of Michigan's race.
- Dixon's victory was powered by a late surge in the polls over her four primary challengers.
Between the lines: Dixon was relatively unheard of up until a signature fraud scandal disqualified five candidates, including the two perceived front runners — former Detroit police chief James Craig and businessman Perry Johnson.
- Dixon struggled to raise money before earning the financial backing of the DeVos family, which tagged her as the establishment candidate.
- There was some uncertainty about whether Trump would endorse Dixon due to her relationship with the DeVos family, since the then Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos considered invoking the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
What we're watching: Whitmer brings a huge fundraising lead with her campaign account at $14.7 million.
- 2022 is the first election since 1974 that a Michigan governor is seeking reelection with their party in the White House.