GRAND RAPIDS (Mich.) — Four of the leading candidates in Michigan’s GOP primary to governor pledged loyalty at a Wednesday night debate while promoting conspiracy theories about Trump’s theft of the 2020 election.
Chiropractic Garrett Soldano replied, “President Trump still is my president,” when asked by candidates if they supported Trump despite recent congressional hearings revealing more about his actions prior to the Jan. 6 rebellion.
Tudor Dixon, a commentator, described how she amplified Trump’s achievements through conservative media.
She said that “We have this focus upon all the negative, and we have this focal point on Jan. 6 where there were peaceful protesters then some who disrupted it process,” in comments about the deadly riot on the Capitol.
Kevin Rinke, a businessman, fondly remembered Trump’s social media habits. He said, “I would take meaning tweets today to make America safer.”
Ryan Kelley, a real-estate broker who was at Capitol Jan. 6, and has surged to top of polls following his arrest last month for misdemeanor charges related the riot — made a dubious analogy between Trump’s defeat & the high cost of gas.
Kelley stated, “Jan. 6, 2021 back when gas was less than $2 per gallon,” while leaning into a fact that fact-checkers found to be false. “Those were great times.”
Kelley stated that he did not enter the Capitol Jan. 6, and was exercising his First Amendment rights.
This debate was one of many before the Aug. 2, primary. It was televised live throughout the state, giving the candidates a great opportunity to present themselves to GOP voters, who will nominate a challenger for Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will be running in the fall’s competitive election.
Trump has not endorsed any candidate in the race and has favored backing candidates who will embrace or indulge his 2020 election lies.
Kelley’s arrest, which he has not yet entered a plea to, and another scandal involving allegedly fraudulent petition circulators have made this race one of the most chaotic Republican primaries in America this election cycle. Two top-tier candidates including James Craig, former Detroit police chief, were disqualified after failing to submit sufficient valid signatures.
Craig launched a write in campaign to run for the GOP nomination, but was not present at Wednesday’s debate. Ralph Rebandt, a pastor hailing from the Detroit suburbs, was also not included in Wednesday’s debate. He failed to reach the polling threshold.
Michigan, which gave President Joe Biden a narrow victory over Trump in 2020 has been a favorite target for conspiracy theorists and election-deniers. The false claim that Trump would have been reelected had it not been for widespread voter fraud was denied by none of the four candidates who took to the stage Wednesday.
Kelley and Soldano stated explicitly that they believed Trump stole the election, but provided no evidence. Instead, they cited material in “2,000 Mules,” which was a discredit documentary written by Dinesh D’Souza. Dixon and Rinke were passive and rehashed claims that fraud and misbehavior had affected the results.
Although Trump is a popular candidate, there were disagreements over tax policy and who has been the most consistent throughout the race.
Soldano and Kelley, who gained popularity among activists after protesting Whitmer’s Covid policies in 2020 were criticized by Dixon as a tool for the GOP establishment. Michigan’s influential DeVos clan has endorsed Dixon, whose name is emblazoned on the building where debate took place and 20 state legislators. At a rally in Michigan, she was also the only candidate Trump named.
Soldano stated that Michiganders are sick and tired of career politicians and establishment control of all things at Grand State Valley University’s downtown campus.
Dixon stated that Dixon’s attacks after the debate suggested that her rivals were worried about her candidacy.
She told reporters that she believed it should let Michiganns know they are having trouble connecting. “So when we ask people how they would work with people from across the aisle, it is important to ask: Can you really work with people from your own party if you don’t want to work with them?”
Lavora Barnes (the Michigan Democratic chair) made a comment on the “nasty Infighting” in a statement following the debate.
