John James seems to be sabotaging his gubernatorial chances

This is a story on “the race that shouldn’t have been.”

U.S. Rep. John James should already be wrapping up the 2026 gubernatorial primary. The race should be functionally over, just like how Mike Rogers wrapped up the U.S. Senate nomination through good timing and decision-making.

James had everything that everybody else didn’t have: A lot of money. Name ID from two highly competitive statewide campaigns. A national network to raise more money. A rockstar-like reputation among the Republican grassroots. A $5 million independent SuperPAC funded by Dan and Pamella DeVos. Buddies with President Donald Trump.

What else does a GOP candidate need? 

As we saw from the results of the Michigan Republican Party’s Mackinac Leadership Conference straw poll, this gubernatorial race is not over.

Instead, it’s become stunningly competitive. Just as James Craig completely fumbled a clear shot at the Republican gubernatorial nomination in 2021-‘22 through pure neglect and laziness, James is on track to do the same thing.

For months, candidates Senate Majority Leader Aric Nesbitt, former Attorney General Mike Cox, former House Speaker Tom Leonard, trucker Anthony Hudson, and even AxMITax advocate Karla Wagner have crisscrossed the state. 

They’ve hit the county GOP chicken dinners. They connected (or reconnected) with the grassroots. Bounced different issues off constituents. Refined their messages. Got themselves into various mediums. Raised money from someone other than retired, out-of-state folks who watch Fox News all day.

James couldn’t be bothered.

Instead, there are excuses or nothing: His schedule is busy. Been there, done that. Or he’s actually doing stuff; we just don’t see it.

Now the James camp is seeing what happens when GOP activists feel taken for granted.

James finished fourth in the Mackinac straw poll of 500-some GOP insiders with around 14% of the votes, behind Nesbitt, Leonard and Cox. 

“So what?” you might say.

In 2021, the straw-poll winner was Craig, who screwed up his petition signatures. Second-place? Eventual nominee Tudor Dixon. In 2017, the winner was eventual nominee Bill Schuette. In 2009, the winner was eventual nominee Rick Snyder.

What happened? James failed to take care of one big housecleaning issue. 

If he weren’t running for reelection in the competitive 10th Congressional District, he needed to line up a quality, Trump-approved replacement.

Instead, Trump publicly questions James’ choice to run for governor instead of Congress.  Trump’s GOP majority in the U.S. House is so dubious for 2026 that red states are redrawing their congressional lines mid-cycle to help Trump.

In response, people can hear James telling Trump off-camera that he has a candidate in MI-10.

The problem? James didn’t have a candidate! 

Or, if he does, we haven’t seen him or her. Instead, the Republicans have a charming young man with a name 99.9% of people can’t pronounce (Robert Lulgjuraj) and maybe the son of a sheriff in a neighboring county. The Dems’ field is stacked with a mayor, a guy with a boatload of money, someone who ran countywide last cycle and more.

Yikes. 

Now, Republican activists feel James put Trump in a lurch. James could have made his case directly to activists, but … see the above part of this column.

Meanwhile, James’ campaign operation has been left adrift by part-time or inexperienced staff, who have made such sloppy mistakes as promoting James’ candidacy with a kid’s backpack giveaway (a good idea) through his congressional office (a bad idea).

James’s leading advisers from previous campaigns are gone (Stu Sandler and Troy Hudson, who now works for Cox). In the void, James has what amounts to a part-time effort. Excuses are replacing real work on the faulty belief that their boss’ popularity fixes everything.

What does bad staff work equal? James going to an MMA fight instead of attending a GOP gubernatorial forum on the island in front of a few hundred devout Republicans.

The shame is that James is a great candidate. He’s a quick study. He has a commanding presence. Great smile. Likable one-on-one. He could have given Republicans a real shot to take back the Governor’s seat.

Maybe he still can. But unless something changes, he’s not making it out of the primary.

(Kyle Melinn is the editor of the Capitol news service MIRS. You can email him at melinnky@gmail.com.)