Conservative media personality Tudor Dixon won the Republican nomination for governor in Michigan, the AP reported, teeing up a battle with incumbent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) this November that is sure to be contentious.
Dixon, who originally worked in the steel industry before creating a conservative news program for children, was well-established as one of the leading competitors in the GOP primary and won former President Trump’s endorsement last weekend. But she still faced competition from other Republican firebrands in the race, including local businessman Kevin Rinke, chiropractor Garrett Soldano and real estate broker Ryan Kelly.
The race is sure to be competitive—with Trump having won Michigan in 2016 before the state flipped to President Joe Biden in 2020. Whitmer’s name recognition and profile has grown since the Covid pandemic, wherein she enacted controversial shutdown measures in her state that drew backlash from some locals. But Dixon, herself, has a history of controversial takes, including on abortion, which she argues should be outlawed except for cases protecting the life of the mother.
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And Dixon has already been using Whitmer as a rallying cry for her primary campaign, criticizing the governor’s handling of schools during the pandemic, restrictions on dining and more.
“There will be an epic battle this fall between a conservative mom vs. a far-left birthing parent,” Dixon wrote in a tweet last week. “It’s the last thing Gretchen Whitmer and the Democrats want. It’s why they’re trying to rig the primary for a weak candidate with their millions in attack ads. Don’t let them!”
