Michigan gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon isn't fazed by reports of incumbent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer currently owning poll leads ranging from 5 to 13 percentage points.
From Dixon's perspective, the fight has just begun.
"[Whitmer's] record is poor enough" to substantiate a shallow lead in the single digits, Dixon told Newsmax Thursday morning, while appearing on "National Report" with hosts Shaun Kraisman and Emma Rechenberg.
And after her upcoming ad blitz, Dixon predicts "we'll able to shorten that [deficit] up and overtake [Whitmer] by Election Day."
When Dixon speaks of Whitmer's record, she's primarily lamenting how the governor kept Michigan businesses closed for most of the 2020-21 pandemic, endorsed severe restrictions on children attending schools during the COVID-19 period, and doesn't favor Michigan residents having their personal freedoms guaranteed at all times.
"The environment [here in Michigan] is not good," says Dixon, who easily carried the Republican gubernatorial primary over the summer, partly thanks to an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.
During the Newsmax interview, Dixon was pressed on her blunt comments regarding the bizarre FBI kidnapping plot indirectly involving Whitmer, with some critics saying the Republican challenger could have shown more compassion toward a sitting governor.
Dixon's response: The national critics "should talk to the people on the ground here in Michigan," while anecdotally referencing how restaurants with curbside delivery couldn't operate during the pandemic in Michigan, but state-approved marijuana dealers could offer the same curbside service during that same shutdown period.
"[Whitmer] was picking winners and losers [in business], robbing people of their livelihoods, and locking people out of their businesses," said Dixon. "And the people want her to be held accountable to that."
Dixon also had strong words for Whitmer campaigning to be Joe Biden's running mate for the 2020 presidential election, while Michigan businesses were being pushed to the brink of bankruptcy, due to governmental restrictions.
"She was on TV every day" campaigning for the vice president role, said Dixon.
But now, Whitmer is "currently hiding" from the challenger's criticism, and "she has no plan going forward," Dixon said.
As for the future, Dixon confirmed to Newsmax there will be two debates on Oct. 13 and 25 — conveniently after the mail-in ballots have already been sent out.
And Dixon's a little surprised that Whitmer will partake in a debate setting.
"So far, she hasn't said a darn thing" to help the people of Michigan, she said.
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