(WXYZ) — The Republican race for Governor has been shaken up as former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox has dropped out of the race.
Cox sent out a statement on Friday, also posted to social media, saying he was dropping out following the endorsement of Congressman John James by President Donald Trump.
The statement reads as follows:
For the past 20 months, as I campaigned across Michigan, 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.
And, if there was more time, I would tell them the other side of the story: about all the great people I met, people who lifted my spirits with kind words or encouragement, people who came to events solely because they wanted to do something to make Michigan more prosperous, safer, help our kids to learn, and to lift Michigan out of its doldrums.
It was all those people who helped me get out of bed each day to take on the world. I am eternally grateful to all of them. On June 22nd President @realDonaldTrump endorsed @JohnJamesMI and lifted him out of a statistical tie with me. 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 that lesson. That is the power of President Trump, and it is a testament to the enduring loyalty of Republican primary voters in Michigan to the President.
Today I leave the race for Governor with great sadness because I never found a better experience than serving the people of Michigan as I did for 21 years as a prosecutor and Attorney General (and before that, as a Marine). While I achieved much greater material rewards outside of public service, those material rewards can never equal the joy and sense of purpose I felt serving the working men and women of Michigan in public office.
As President Trump has endorsed John James and ordained his primary victory, I will do whatever I can to help John James, @tonyforlini1 , and @DougLloyd4ag win in November. We need them and the whole Republican team to win and roll back the last 8 years of despair, distress, and decline and return Michigan to greatness. The stakes are simply too high.
Thank you to every volunteer, supporter, donor, friend, and family member who stood with me during this campaign. Most of all, thank you to Laura Cox whose love and support never wavered.
I leave this race with gratitude, optimism, and faith in Michigan’s future because I have met so many women and men of purpose on the campaign who are working to get it done.
Mike Cox
Cox bowing out of the race leaves both James and businessman Perry Johnson fighting for the Republican nomination to be the next Michigan Governor.
James posted the following statement to social media:
Thank you to Mike Cox for helping to give me my start in 2017. It makes your endorsement today mean so much more. This is exactly the kind of unity we need to win in November.
President Trump has endorsed me and other former primary opponents Tom Leonard and Aric Nesbitt have united behind us.
The stakes in this election could not be higher. Socialism is on the ballot. The radical left has made Michigan less affordable, less safe and less competitive. After nearly eight years of failed Democrat leadership, it’s time to end the intraparty attacks and fully unite behind the strongest candidate.
I am deeply honored by this broad show of support. Together, we will defeat the Democrats and put Michigan back on the path to prosperity.
Let’s win in November!
Johnson has also released the following statement:
Mike Cox ran a strong campaign and did an effective job exposing why John James should never be governor of Michigan and why he would be defeated by Jocelyn Benson in November. While I am sorry to see Mike leave the race, this creates a tremendous opportunity to unite Republicans who do not want John James as our nominee. Seventy percent of voters in this race are already opposing John James. Now is the time to unite Cox and Johnson voters behind the campaign that can defeat the career politician, save the Republican ticket, and beat Jocelyn Benson. Mike Cox’s supporters are welcome in our campaign. Michigan needs an outsider, not another politician.
