John James, one of the few Black Republicans in Congress and one of the most prominent Black Republicans in Michigan, is running to become that state’s governor. His bid for the GOP nomination has appeared to hit rocky times, however, with James notably being booed by members of his own party at a recent Michigan GOP event, as the president opposes his run.
Rep. John James booed at Republican convention
BET reported on the video, which shows Perry Johnson, another Republican contender for governor of Michigan, walking through the crowd of the Michigan GOP state convention as James is introduced to the event’s stage. The announcement is met with loud boos from the crowd. “Wow, he’s getting booed,” one person can be heard saying from off-camera, followed by several others repeating, “John James just got booed.” BET reported that James took the stage and gave a speech that highlighted his service in the Iraq War and his time in Congress, including a recent vote to fund the Department of Homeland Security amid that agency’s ongoing shutdown.
Trump, others opposed James’ run for governor
It is unclear from the clip why the crowd was hostile toward James. The video was initially posted by Michigan state Rep. Matt Maddock, who describes himself as a “Trump Endorsed, Ranked Most Conservative, Freedom Caucus, Appropriations Vice-Chairman, Anti-communist, Husband of @MeshawnMaddock.” His wife, former Michigan Republican Party co-chair Meshawn Maddock, was one of several people accused of being a false elector for Trump following his 2020 presidential defeat; Trump later pardoned her and the others involved in the scheme. Both Trump and Rep. Maddock have opposed James’ run for governor, instead wanting him to remain in the U.S. House in order to try to protect Republicans’ thin Congressional majority as the GOP faces a tough midterm election cycle.
Few Black Republicans succeeding in recent elections
The negative GOP reception does not bode well for James, who was the frontrunner in the Republican race for governor but has seen stiffer competition as the race has progressed. James is one of only five Black Republicans in Congress, alongside Reps. Byron Donalds of Florida, Wesley Hunt of Texas and Burgess Owens of Utah, as well as Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina. As The Grio noted, the prospects of more Black Republican candidates winning higher office have been dim in recent years. Several Black GOP candidates have been defeated at the polls, including Trump-backed Herschel Walker in the 2022 Georgia Senate race; Winsome Earle-Sears, who was ignored by Trump and lost her run for governor of Virginia; and Hunt, who failed this year to secure the Republican nomination for senator from Texas. James remains one of the viable Black GOP candidates alongside politicians like former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who is running for the Senate from that state.
James could still end up winning the GOP nomination in Michigan, defying the recent trend of disappointment for Black Republican candidates. But the recent hostile reaction that a Republican crowd gave James shows that he may have his work cut out for him as he tries to convince the state’s GOP voters that he is their best candidate.
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