Trump-Endorsed Tudor Dixon Wins Michigan GOP Governor Primary

Endorsed by former President Donald Trump, Tudor Dixon has won the Republican nomination for governor in Michigan, according to Decision Desk HQ.

Newsmax's election partner made the early call at 9:00 p.m. ET.

Trump endorsed Tudor Dixon in Michigan's crowded Republican primary for governor, just days before voters choose an opponent to face Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

"She's pro-God, pro-gun, and pro-freedom, and she won't be stopped!" Trump wrote in his endorsement statement Friday.

Trump's endorsement came shortly after his former education secretary, Betsy DeVos, urged him to join her in backing Dixon.

Dixon, a conservative commentator, also had the backing of Michigan's Right to Life, former Gov. John Engler and some of the state's top legislative leaders. She also has financial support from a pair of super PACs with ties to DeVos, who is from Michigan.

Dixon has said she will fight to keep drag queens out of schools, and she opposes abortion, except to save the life of the mother. Dixon held a fundraiser at Trump's Mar-a-Lago property in Florida earlier this year, where the former president called her "special."

Dixon held off businessman Kevin Rinke, chiropractor Garrett Soldano, and real estate broker Ryan Kelley, who was charged with misdemeanors for his actions on Jan. 6.

Trump has carried a 137-10 midterm endorsement record (93%) into Tuesday night's five state primaries.

Rinke and the Democratic Governors Association have both spent large sums of money running TV ads attacking Dixon in the lead-up to the primary. Rinke's TV ad claimed Dixon is backed by the "RINO establishment's leading never-Trumpers," using the derisive acronym for "Republican in name only."

The Democratic Governors Association's $2 million ad buy pushes claimed Dixon's budget plan would force widespread police officer layoffs; she has said that is false.

"Obviously, they're desperate to get me out of this," Dixon said. "They don't want me running against Gretchen."

DeVos, in her letter Friday to Trump, said they should work together to elect Dixon, calling her "the only one that who can stand toe to toe with 'that woman from Michigan,'" a term Trump used for Whitmer rather than calling her by name in 2020.

Dixon will face a tough battle against Whitmer, who has nearly $15 million set aside, more than all five Republicans combined.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.