(WWJ) – Tudor Dixon is expected to square off against Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in this fall’s gubernatorial election.
Dixon, a businesswoman and conservative commentator from Norton Shores on the west side of the state, jumped out to a large lead in Tuesday's Primary Election. The Michigan GOP tweeted a congratulatory message to Dixon, calling her "our gubernatorial candidate and the next governor of our state."
"In November, we will retire @gretchenwhitmer and forge a business and family friendly Michigan," the tweet said.
Multiple news outlets, including the Associated Press and NBC News have also projected Dixon will win the nomination.
Dixon received 40.5% of the votes, beating out fellow candidates Kevin Rinke (21.9%), Garrett Soldano (18%), Ryan Kelley (15.4%) and Ralph Rebandt (4.2%).
Dixon received a late endorsement from former President Donald Trump last week in the final days leading up to the primary, calling it “a great honor.”
Though she had said earlier in her campaign she believed Trump won the 2020 election, Dixon on Sunday declined to answer a question about that election on national TV, instead highlighting a push for more strict voter ID requirements.
Dixon also received support from former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, a Michigan native.
The 45-year-old Dixon has been outspoken about Whitmer and the Biden administration during her campaign, including the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact it had on small businesses in Michigan and the economy at-large.
"Instead of talking about inflation, Gov. Whitmer is talking about anything but," Dixon said while speaking to supporters Tuesday. "Like President Biden, she's pretending no one will notice they've created -- that word again -- recession. 'If we pretend like there isn't one, maybe people won't notice.' That's a hard thing to hide."
Speaking in Kalamazoo Tuesday night, Soldano said Republican voters will need to come out and support Dixon this fall if they want to unseat Whitmer.
"A lot of times in the past, a lot of Republicans -- because we have big egos -- we'll pick up our ball and go home and we're not getting a goal," Soldano said. "Vote. I'm here to tell you, we all have the same goal and that is to beat Gov. Whitmer. We have to support [Dixon], we have to get behind her and hopefully she can do what she needs to do to beat Gov. Whitmer."
Whitmer said it's clear that Dixon will "drag Michigan backwards."
"Dixon’s plans to ban abortion with no exceptions for rape, incest, or health of the mother and throw nurses in jail, gut funding for public education, reverse progress rebuilding Michigan’s infrastructure and sow distrust in our democracy are dangerous for Michigan women and families," Whitmer said in a statement.
Stay tuned to WWJ Newsradio 950 for the latest Election Night coverage.
Related
