U.S. Rep. John James, a Republican who has represented Michigan’s 10th Congressional District since 2023, is running for governor in the Nov. 3 general election.
His campaign platform emphasizes affordability, education, public safety and government accountability.
James and lieutenant governor running mate Jay DeBoyer appear on the Michigan Department of State’s official candidate list. The other gubernatorial candidates on the state’s five listed tickets are Jocelyn Benson (Democratic), Anthony Hudson (Libertarian), Douglas Campbell (Green) and Donna Brandenburg (U.S. Taxpayers).
Candidate information
- Party: Republican
- Office sought: Michigan governor
- Election date: Nov. 3, 2026
- Running mate: Jay DeBoyer
- Current office: U.S. representative, Michigan’s 10th Congressional District
- Ballot status: Listed on the state’s official candidate list
Experience and public service
James served eight years in the U.S. Army as a Ranger-qualified aviation officer and led two Apache platoons during Operation Iraqi Freedom, according to his congressional biography.
He joined James Group International in 2012 and served as its president and as CEO of Renaissance Global Logistics before entering Congress, the biography says.
His BallotReady profile lists Army service from 2004 to 2012 and congressional service beginning in 2023.
James earned a bachelor’s degree in law and systems engineering from the U.S. Military Academy, a master’s degree in supply chain management and information systems from Penn State in 2014, and an MBA from the University of Michigan in 2015, according to his congressional biography.
James and his wife, Elizabeth, have three sons.
On the issues
The following proposals come from James’ campaign materials and reflect his stated positions.
Taxes and energy: His affordability platform proposes phasing out the state income tax through spending reductions and economic growth, alongside tax credits for workers in shortage occupations. His energy proposals include limiting regulated residential bill growth to inflation, tying utility profits to performance and increasing outage compensation.
Education: His education platform proposes opting Michigan into a federal scholarship tax-credit program, expanding charter school options, requiring phonics-based instruction, limiting classroom cellphone use and expanding career preparation.
Government accountability: His accountability platform calls for reviewing 10 years of state spending, fully funding the auditor general’s office, expanding public-records access and banning fundraising by state officials while the Legislature is in session. He also proposes requiring legislative approval to extend emergency orders beyond 14 days.
Health care: His health care platform proposes expanding telehealth and rural provider recruitment, improving price transparency and emphasizing preventive care. His education platform also calls for parental access to children’s medical information and parental consent for medical treatment.
These are campaign proposals, rather than policies already enacted.
James was sent a candidate questionnaire. This profile will be updated if a response is received.
