Rep. John James, R-Mich., raised a few eyebrows last week following reports that he had raised over $1.5 million in his bid for the GOP nomination for governor of his home state next year.
According to the most recent reports with the Michigan secretary of State, James — Michigan's nominee for U.S. Senate in 2018 and 2020 — not only brought in the money in three months (the last reporting period under Water Wonderland law), but also has more than $5.1 million through a super PAC known as Mission Michigan.
Nearly all of the super PAC's funds are in combined donations from Dan and Pam DeVos of the Amway family.
With James widely considered the front-runner for the Republican nomination next August, his nearest rival in the seven-person field is former state Attorney General Mike Cox.
In the latest period, Cox lent the campaign more than $2 million of his own money but has raised only about $150,000 from individual donors.
Two other GOP candidates considered serious contenders are state Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt and former House Speaker Tom Leonard.
Nesbitt raised $2.3 million in the first six months of his campaign, but only $425,000 in the last reporting period. Leonard raised about $290,000 and has lent his campaign $105,000.
James, 44, recently unleashed a broadside of TV spots dealing with border security and illegal immigration.
A graduate of West Point and U.S. Army Ranger in Operation Iraqi Freedom, James would be the second-ever Black nominee for governor in Michigan history. The first, also a Republican, was the late Wayne County Executive Bill Lucas in 1986.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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