A fresh poll from Glengariff Group shows U.S. Rep. John James (R-Mich.) pulling ahead in the race for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in Michigan, with 37% support among likely primary voters. The survey, released Tuesday, marks a significant shift from earlier this month when an Emerson College poll had James trailing businessman Perry Johnson by less than a point, with nearly 40% of voters undecided.
Johnson now sits at 19.8% in the Glengariff survey, while other contenders—former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox and State Sen. Aric Nesbitt—each register under 10%. The undecided share has shrunk to 17.6%, suggesting James has consolidated support as the primary approaches.
The two front-runners are locked in a legal dispute. Johnson filed a lawsuit seeking a temporary restraining order against James over the use of the phrase "John James Governor" in campaign materials, arguing it could mislead voters into thinking James is the incumbent. "The use of this phrasing is widespread, repeated, and central to the campaign's branding, indicating that it is intentional rather than inadvertent," Johnson wrote in his complaint.
Hannah Osantowske, a spokesperson for James, dismissed the suit as a "desperate ploy" in comments to the Detroit Free Press. Johnson previously ran for governor in 2022 but was disqualified due to invalid petition signatures, and he mounted a short-lived 2024 presidential bid that failed to qualify for GOP debates.
The primary election is set for August 5, with the general election in November to replace term-limited Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who leaves office at the end of 2026. Whitmer has not endorsed a successor. On the Democratic side, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson holds a nearly 60-point lead over Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson in the same Glengariff poll. Former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is also running as an independent.
The race has drawn national attention as Michigan remains a key battleground state. The Glengariff survey of 500 likely GOP primary voters, conducted April 21-24, has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points. As the campaign heats up, economic issues like rising gas prices across the Great Lakes region could influence voter turnout. Meanwhile, the GOP field is also watching national dynamics, including debates over defense spending as an economic driver, which may resonate with Michigan's manufacturing base.
James, a combat veteran and former businessman, has sought to position himself as a mainstream conservative capable of winning a general election. Johnson, a wealthy businessman, has leaned on his outsider status and self-funding. The legal battle over branding underscores the intensity of the contest as candidates jockey for position ahead of the August primary.
