by Sharelle B. McNair
April 2, 2026
It was a sign of James’ dwindling support in the state.
Ever wonder what it’s like to be booed by those thought to be supportive? Rep. John James (R-MI) knows the feeling after he wasn’t kindly welcomed during remarks at Michigan’s GOP state convention, Blavity reports.
The Black GOP leader, who is running for governor of Michigan, got quite the welcome when he was introduced.
“Wow, he’s getting booed,” one person can be heard saying from off-camera. “John James just got booed.”
While it’s unclear why the Michigan crowd turned on James, Matt Maddock, who originally posted the clip, claims it was a vote for the Kill Switch legislation. The failed bill was curated by fellow GOP leader Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky in an effort to block the enforcement of the so‑called vehicle kill switch technology, which would enable the monitoring of driver behavior, and detect impairment like intoxication and intervene.
James is one of several Republican leaders looking to take over the governor’s seat held by Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, with the primary scheduled for Aug. 4, according to BET. He was once a front-runner, but things have changed, especially with the Black vote.
A February survey from Glengariff Group on behalf of the Detroit Regional Chamber revealed James received zero percent support from Black voters, even as a Black candidate. While only 81 of the 600 voters surveyed identified as African American, several offered support for former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, who running as an independent, received 59.3% of Black respondents’ support.
During his time on stage, James gave a speech touching on his service in the Iraq War and his time in Congress, including a recent vote to fund the Department of Homeland Security, ending the partial government shutdown, calling it a responsibility rather than politics. “It’s not right for Congress to get paid while tens of thousands of these essential personnel work every day to keep our airports secure without timely pay. If they’re not getting paid, neither should we,” he said in a post on X.
James is the latest Black GOP member to receive “boos” or non-support from their peers. Winsome Earle-Sears, who lost her bid for Virginia governor, failed to even get an endorsement from President Donald Trump, and former Congressman Wesley Hunt of Texas came in third place in the recent Senate primary.
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