Lansing — Republican former state House Speaker Tom Leonard ended his campaign to be Michigan’s next governor Thursday, leaving five GOP candidates competing for their party’s nomination.
Leonard of DeWitt announced his decision to withdraw from the race in a post on social media. Leonard said he was focused on “substance and bold solutions” but it was “clear the political environment does not consistently reward that kind of campaign.”
While Leonard put forward a series of significant policy proposals on issues like transparency, energy and auto insurance, he struggled to raise money. His primary poll numbers also remained in the single digits, compared to other contenders who had more cash and were better known among Michigan voters.
“Over the past several weeks, this race has gotten increasingly negative,” Leonard said. “And sadly, the system rewards sound bites over substance, theater of seriousness and personal attacks over real policy debate.
“Every time we drag fellow Republicans through the mud, we make all our jobs harder in November.”
Leonard launched his campaign for governor in June 2025.
He vowed to cut waste in Lansing and lower taxes. Leonard’s policy priorities included expanding the state’s open records law to the governor’s office and improving third-grade reading scores.
Leonard left the Legislature at the end of 2018 and is currently a lawyer and a lobbyist for the firm Plunkett Cooney. In 2018, Leonard ran for attorney general, losing to Democrat Dana Nessel, 46%-49%. In 2022, he again campaigned for attorney general, but he was defeated in a Republican convention by Kalamazoo lawyer Matt DePerno.
As of the end of last year, Leonard’s campaign for governor had about $430,000 available to spend, much less than other candidates for governor, including U.S. Rep. John James, R-Shelby Township, who had $2.4 million.
Likewise, businessman Perry Johnson of Bloomfield Hills is also seeking the Republican nomination and has spent more than $10 million of his own money on TV ads promoting himself.
The other Republicans remaining in the race are former Attorney General Mike Cox of Livonia, state Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt of Porter Township and longtime Pastor Ralph Rebandt of Elmira.
Michigan’s current governor, Democrat Gretchen Whitmer, can’t run again because of term limits. Republican voters will pick their nominee in the Aug. 4 primary.
Three Democrats turned in petition signatures to get on their party’s primary ballot: Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson of Detroit, Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson of Fenton and Kim Thomas of Battle Creek.
cmauger@detroitnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Republican Tom Leonard withdraws from race for Michigan governor
Reporting by Craig Mauger, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
