Republican gubernatorial candidate Perry Johnson on Wednesday filed a lawsuit accusing his primary rival of seeking to capture an unfair electoral advantage in the Michigan race by portraying himself as the state’s incumbent governor.
Johnson’s team filed the lawsuit in Ingham County Circuit Court. In the complaint, Johnson alleged that by prominently featuring the logo “John James Governor” in campaign materials, Rep. John James (R-MI) misled voters into believing he is the governor. Michigan law prohibits candidates from using campaign materials that falsely suggest incumbency, the lawsuit notes, arguing that James’s use of the phrase “is intentional and designed to influence voters by creating confusion about his current position.
Recommended Stories
“Michigan law is clear—candidates cannot mislead voters into believing they are the incumbent when they are not,” Johnson said in a statement. “His entire strategy is based on deceiving voters by avoiding debates and acting as if he is the Governor or Republican nominee.”
Johnson is a Bloomfield Hills businessman. Voters will pick between him, James, and other candidates in the primary election on Aug. 4. As he conducts his gubernatorial bid, James has prominently featured the disputed phrase on his campaign website and videos.
James’s campaign called the lawsuit a “desperate ploy” in comments to the Detroit Free Press and posted a satirical social media statement referencing Johnson’s flirtation with running for president two years ago when he issued material saying “President 2024/Perry Johnson.”
“This you?” James’s campaign questioned in a post to X, highlighting a photo with the caption.
“Perry Johnson’s desperate ploy here will be just as successful as the $30 million he spent opposing President Trump (when he briefly ran for president in the last election cycle),” James campaign spokeswoman Hannah Osantowske said. “We wish him the best in getting on the ballot so he’s eligible to debate John James in the future.”
EROSION OF DEMOCRATIC SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL RAISES FEARS OF LASTING PARTISAN SPLIT
Johnson’s team argued he has “no other remedy of law than this lawsuit.
“James is now advertising on television,” the complaint alleged. “If James is not enjoined, he will continue to violate the law and create confusion and subvert the Republican primary, which is scheduled for August 4, 2026. The repeated use of the phrase ‘John James Governor’ demonstrates a consistent strategy across multiple platforms to fraudulently infer, create the impression or claim he is either the governor or the Republican nominee.”
