Overview
- Johnson filed the case in Ingham County Circuit Court seeking to block John James from using the phrase “John James Governor” and to remove or destroy materials that feature it.
- His complaint argues the wording misleads voters by implying James is the incumbent or GOP nominee, citing a Michigan law that bars campaign materials that suggest incumbency, and Johnson, represented by Matthew DePerno, says the usage is intentional.
- James’s campaign dismissed the lawsuit as a desperate ploy and pointed to Johnson’s past messaging, while the disputed phrase appears on James’s website, videos, TV ads, and signs.
- An outside attorney questioned whether the county court is the right venue and said the dispute may belong first with the Michigan Secretary of State under the Campaign Finance Act.
- The fight unfolds as the Board of State Canvassers prepares to review nominating signatures, a process that kept Johnson off the 2022 primary ballot after fraud findings.