Duggan Gets High Marks As 6 Guber Candidates Speak To Northern Michigan Business Leaders
- Team MIRS
- 1 minute ago
- 6 min read
(Source: MIRS.news, Published 01/23/2026) (TRAVERSE CITY) - Lansing is making it too “doggone hard” to do business, make a living, innovate and provide for families, and if elected governor, U.S. Rep. John James (R-Shelby Township) told the Northern Michigan Policy Conference on Friday that he's going to “strip down” government regulation and redirect the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to focus on retention as part of a culture change.
James was among the six gubernatorial candidates who answered about 10 minutes of questions in front of an announced crowd of 600 people Friday morning and evening. The congressman's presence with Democratic frontrunner Jocelyn Benson, independent candidate Mike Duggan, Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R-Lawton), former Attorney General Mike Cox and former Speaker Tom Leonard marked the first time all six of the big-named candidates had been at the same venue at the same time.
For James, it marked one of the first times he's appeared at a public venue to answer questions specifically about state policy and comes as he launches his “Mission First, People Always” statewide tour with stops in Wayne, Monroe, Oakland, Bay, Genesee, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Kent, Livingston, Macomb, Ingham, Newaygo, Saginaw and St. Clair counties.
“For too long, Lansing has looked the other way while waste, fraud and abuse chew up taxpayer dollars that families could use in their own pockets,” James said, “This isn’t complicated. Michigan should be a place where hard work still wins, parents have a say, communities are safe and the government remembers who it works for — so families can buy a home, start a business, and know their kids are safe, learning, and healthy."
While considered the frontrunner on the Republican side due to his strong polling numbers, James has not been publicly visible as a gubernatorial candidate. That changed last week after Michigan First Principles spent $141,000 in negative ads against him in Detroit media and rumors that deep-pocketed “quality guru” Perry Johnson is getting into the race early next week with immediate spending.
A transcript of John James's interview can be found here.
As for the rest of the field at Friday’s policy conference, attendees were asked – after having listened to all six candidates take around 10 minutes each answering the same five questions – of the candidates you saw, how engaged are they with the needs of Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula?
More than 140 attendees ranked all six candidates on a scale of 1 to 5 in terms of engagement. The candidate with the highest score was Duggan at 3.7. Benson was second with a score of 2.9. James was at 2.6, Cox 2.5, Leonard and Nesbitt with 2.4.
In his 10 minutes, Duggan came across to one attendee as “most comfortable and effective.” In response to each question, Duggan tied in a program in Detroit that addressed the issue in question – whether it was housing, talent, economic growth tools, or the effectiveness of tax breaks.
Asked about how he planned to reorganize state departments and agencies, Duggan took things in a different direction, talking about
“healing divisions” as opposed to adopting a different economic strategy that sent Michigan into another “U-turn.”
Former Gov. Jennifer Granholm wanted the MEGA Credits. Former Gov. Rick Snyder wanted economic gardening and canceled all the incentives. Then, a couple of years ago, the state “panicked” and gave out $250 million checks to “people who hadn't done anything, yet.” Now people are talking about canceling the MEDC.
“We have a strategic plan of U-turns every two to four years. Republicans and Democrats flip control and they do a complete U-turn,” Duggan said, “If you're a national company thinking 'Where do I want to invest? Why would you go to a state that changes its policies every two to four years?"
The former Detroit Mayor, who just rose five points in the most recent Glengariff Group poll said that his dad once told him about politicians, “Don't listen to what they promise, listen to what they produce.” In Detroit, he said, the city is out of bankruptcy, has cops on the streets, grass that's mowed and cut property taxes. A transcript of his 10 minutes can be found here.
After her talk, Benson was asked if it was time for Democrats to coalesce behind a common candidate, with Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II out of the race and traditional Democratic operatives falling in line behind her as the presumptive nominee.
“What I want to emphasize is that we will unify our party in the months ahead,” she said, “In order to be effective as governor, in leading a state, is to build that team. One person cannot transform a state. A team can, a team that is committed to working across the aisle and getting things done. That's what I'm building.”
At the conference, Benson was asked what type of tax break or government incentive she believes would be the best tool to spur economic development in Michigan. She answered that incentives and tax breaks need to be “part of the package,” but drawing talent to the state with affordable housing, quality health care, a world-class education system, and a low cost of living is important, too.
“This is personal to me because I got a kid and my success is going to be determined by whether he chooses to stay in Michigan and whether he gets the education he needs to build a career in this state,” she said. A transcript of her 10 minutes can be found here.
Nesbitt said he's all for a return to Right to Work, lower taxes and cutting red tape, but what he's hearing from people is that when they call state government, they want someone to pick up the phone and answer their questions. (He also said he'd like to take a “blowtorch" to all the regulations.)
He also said the attitude that “everybody has to go on to college” has not worked and more work needs to be done to encourage young workers to explore the trades.
“I think we've lost a whole generation of builders, of plumbers and pipefitters that can't be replaced by AI,” he said, “We've lost a whole generation by saying, ‘You got to take two years of a foreign language. You have got to take Algebra 2.’ Our education system needs to lift people to say the trades are a good option.” A transcript of his 10-minute interview can be found here.
Leonard suggested “we ought to go with licensure reciprocity across the board, or at least for a few years until we solve this housing crisis.” He also promoted Right to Work, economic gardening, the “best regulatory environment” and a 3.9% income tax rate.
Asked if there was an instance in which he would support direct grants or targeted incentives to attract economic development, Leonard said “I'm always willing to have a conversation, but I can't envision a scenario whereby I think it's wise for us to take money out of your pockets and give it to select companies.”
Cox rolled out his plan to eliminate the income tax, address building codes and fix an education system that now has lower test scores than Mississippi. He said he'd also support “group presidents," who would work among departments to make sure that environmental regulators, for example, aren't fighting with the economic development people or the regulatory people, etc.
He said he was also opposed to taking money from one business owner's pocket and giving it to someone else.
“When you cut the income tax, not only does every senior get more money in their pocket in terms of eliminating a tax on their pension, not only do young couples who want to save for a new home get a little extra bit in their pocket in order to buy that first home,” Cox said, “But every small business owner who creates the most jobs will create the most jobs in Michigan. They get more money on their bottom line to invest in a new stove. If they do pizzas, hire a couple more people. If they have a Coney Island shop and they make the best judgments, they're the most flexible.”