(WWJ) Former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox has announced that he is dropping out of the race for the Republican nomination for governor.
In a lengthy statement posted to social media on Friday, Cox pointed directly to former President Donald Trump’s recent endorsement of U.S. Rep. John James as the turning point, in Cox's view, that put the nomination out of reach.
Cox, who spent 21 years in public service as a Marine, prosecutor, and the state's Attorney General, expressed deep gratitude to his supporters while acknowledging the reality of recent polling.
"On June 22nd President @realDonaldTrump endorsed @JohnJamesMI and lifted him out of a statistical tie with me," Cox wrote. "And while I did not fully appreciate it then, that endorsement placed him out of reach in a three-way Republican primary race. Several internal polls since June 22nd taught me that lesson."
Cox reflected warmly on his 20 months on the campaign trail, sharing a frequent interaction he had with voters:
"People routinely asked me, 'aren’t today’s politics so hard and dirty?' I would usually answer, 'it was so much harder making payroll on the 15th and 30th of every month.' They would usually smile."
He concluded his announcement by throwing his full support behind James and the broader Republican ticket ahead of the November general election.
"As President Trump has endorsed John James and ordained his primary victory, I will do whatever I can to help John James... win in November," Cox said.
Where does the race stand now?
Cox's sudden exit fundamentally reshapes the August 4 Republican primary. What was once a highly competitive, three-way slugfest has narrowed dramatically.
With Cox out, the Republican primary voters are left with basically two options:
- Rep. John James: The current U.S. Congressman, combat veteran, and frontrunner who carries the highly influential Trump endorsement.
- Perry Johnson: A wealthy businessman and former gubernatorial candidate who has self-funded a massive ad campaign and aggressively targeted James in recent debates.
The winner of the Republican primary on Aug. 4 will go on to face the Democratic nominee in November.
The Democratic side features a competitive primary of its own, led by Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson.
Michigan's incumbent governor, Democrat Gretchen Whitmer, is term-limited.
