A new nonprofit filing hints conservative media personality Tudor Dixon could be the next candidate to jump into Michigan’s gubernatorial race.
Dixon, who lives in West Michigan, is a conservative commentator and anchor of the weekly “America’s Voice Live” program on Real America’s Voice, an online news and entertainment network founded in 2018. She has been a vocal critic of Whitmer’s, and some have speculated she could run for governor herself.
On April 14, a new nonprofit called Tudor Dixon for Governor, Inc. was formed, according to state business records. A conservative political consultant listed on the paperwork did not return a request for comment on whether Dixon was running for governor. Dixon referred inquiries to a different, Florida-based political consultant who also did not respond.
The filing isn’t definitive evidence Dixon is running, according to Michigan Campaign Finance Network Executive Director Simon Schuster, but could indicate she’s seriously considering it.
Typically, the first paperwork candidates file is campaign finance paperwork with the Secretary of State. Candidates are required to form a committee within 10 days of receiving a contribution or making an expenditure. The Secretary of State has no record of a campaign finance committee having formed for Dixon.
The nonprofit filing is unusual, but not unprecedented. State records show former gubernatorial candidates Dick DeVos and Dick Posthumus both organized similar nonprofits for their runs.
“From my understanding, committees will often choose to become incorporated for legal reasons, because then the candidates and treasurers of those committees are protected from being sued,” Schuster said.
Tudor has not publicly said whether she is running for governor, but she addressed the possibility in a podcast with Bill Ballenger of The Ballenger Report last month.
“I have had people come to me and say ‘look at what you could do, you could bring the right people together to lead this state.’ It’s an interesting conversation. It’s certainly one that I’m open to continuing to have,” she told Ballenger.
She asked her Twitter audience for feedback on a potential run in an April 26 tweet. The Detroit News reported that Dixon may have met with representatives of the Republican Governors Association earlier this year.
Dixon, along with other supporters of former President Donald Trump, has questioned the results of Michigan’s election, despite a lack of evidence. Dixon wrote “Steal an election then hide behind calls for unity and leftists lap it up” in a Nov. 8 reply to a tweet from Trump.
Dixon was the emcee at a May 1 rally outside the DeltaPlex in Walker where former state Sen. Patrick Colbeck and other speakers falsely claimed the election was stolen. Standing on the “Trump Unity Bridge” often seen at the former president’s rallies, Dixon introduced Republican gubernatorial hopefuls Ryan Kelley and Austin Chenge.
Toward the end of the event, Dixon criticized Whitmer for allowing the federal government to temporarily house unaccompanied migrant children at a facility in Albion. Starr Commonwealth opened a shelter for children at the request of the federal government.
Dixon blamed Whitmer for the arrangement and said it means she supports criminal cartels.
“Gretchen Whitmer supports the abuse of children at our southern border,” Dixon said.
Dixon contrasted the situation with the arrest of Marlena Pavlos-Hackney, an immigrant and Holland restaurant owner who was jailed for contempt of court after defying pandemic health orders. Dixon spoke at a rally outside Pavlos-Hackney’s restaurant in March. She said Whitmer uses “a gestapo” to enforce COVID-19 orders.
If she gets into the race, Tudor will join Republican gubernatorial candidates Garrett Soldano, Austin Chenge, Ralph Rebandt, Ryan D. Kelly and Bob Scott.
“Conservative extremist Tudor Dixon’s apparent entry makes her the 6th person to run in a Republican primary with as many insurrectionists and anti-vaxxers,” said Michigan Democratic Party spokesperson Rodericka Applewhaite.
“As they fight it out to see who can emulate Trump the most, Gov. Whitmer continues to exhibit strong, competent leadership to get COVID-19 under control and revitalize our economy.”
Prior to becoming the host of Real America’s Voice, Dixon founded a conservative publication for young people and worked in the steel industry, according to her LinkedIn page.
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