Tensions are rising between James Craig and his former gubernatorial campaign consultant John Yob, with Yob threatening legal action in response to the former Detroit police chief’s public comments about his work.
During an appearance on Fox 2’s “Let it Rip” Thursday, Craig threw barbs at Yob and vowed to “get to the bottom” of the longtime GOP political strategist’s handling of Craig and businessman Perry Johnson, who were both blocked from primary votes by a flood of fraudulent signatures. Craig also said he would launch a print campaign.
Yob left Craig’s campaign in November and joined Johnson’s campaign in January.
“I’m going to expose it,” Craig said of Yob.
“…How the hell does Perry have the same filthy petitioners working for both of us?” There is a common denominator.
Hooligan replied Friday morningarguing that Craig knows the signature forgers were hired “long after” Yob left the campaign.
“We are sending cease and desist letters to hold various people accountable for the defamation associated with being the victim of this alleged fake network,” Yob said on Twitter. “Legal action will likely follow.”
Kelley’s wife is a social media influencer
Before Thursday, Tabitha Kelley arguably had better name identification on social media than her husband.
Ryan Kelley, the Republican gubernatorial candidate arrested Thursday, Jan. 6, on a riot-related charge, is married to a social media influencer with tens of thousands of followers.
Tabitha Kelley runs a blog, YouTube channel, Instagram account, and Facebook page called “This Mama’s House,” where she shares tips on cooking, housekeeping, cleaning, and parenting. She has 131,000 subscribers on Youtube and 19,600 subscribers on Instagram.
“Thank you for all the messages and prayers. My family is doing great,” Tabitha Kelley posted on her Instagram Story Friday morning, the day after FBI agents raided her Allendale home and arrested her husband on four misdemeanor charges. for his alleged participation in the January 6, 2021 riot at the United States Capitol.
She wrote that her accounts had “never been about politics” and directed people to Kelley’s social media accounts for more information on her gubernatorial campaign.
“I’m proud of my husband for standing up for what he believes in,” she added. “It’s admirable no matter what side you’re on.”
Ryan and Tabitha Kelley have six children, including Tabitha homeschools.
Her YouTube account features videos showing her children being born at home, sharing resources for homeschooling “about American values” and describing her tips for cooking meals and cleaning up as a family.
In one video, Tabitha Kelley recommends a book and video series called “The Tuttle Twins” that promotes limited government and opposes socialism and “woke-ism” in schools, according to the series’ website.
“It’s safe to say that we live in unprecedented times and it can sometimes feel like our country is in total chaos,” she said. “Now, more than ever, it is important to teach our children true American values based on freedom.”
Ryan Kelley appears in some of the videos, including the home birth of their last documented child two months ago and a gender reveal video.
Most often, Tabitha Kelley shares videos showing how she shops and feeds her six children, how she maintains a clean household, and how she organizes her time managing a family.
NRCC makes ad bookings
The Republican National Congressional Committee last week announced its first wave of ad bookings for the midterm elections, including $7.28 million for broadcast in Michigan markets.
The ads are part of $52 million in initial ad time set aside in 28 television markets and more than double what the NRCC initially placed in the 2020 election cycle, the committee said.
Bookings include $3.58 million in the Detroit market, $2.83 million in Lansing and $875,000 in Flint. The NRCC has announced no reservations in Grand Rapids where it is preparing to defend the new 3rd District, where Democrat Hillary Scholten aims to challenge freshman GOP Rep. Peter Meijer of Grand Rapids Township.
The reserved airtime straddles the competitive races the GOP is targeting in Michigan as it hopes to retake a House majority, including in the new 10th District, an open seat centered in Macomb County where the man business John James is running, along with vulnerable seats held by Democrats in the 7th (held by U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Holly) and new 8th (held by Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township) after redistricting .
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced an initial $21.4 million in ad bookings, but there was no Michigan market among the first ad.
Alexander’s measure fails again
For the second time in three months, Republican State Rep. Julie Alexander failed to garner the support needed to get a full bill, a rare occurrence for bills going to a vote in the chamber plenary.
The Michigan House voted 51 to 56 on Alexander’s bill on Tuesday, short of the majority needed to create Learning Loss Recovery Fund grants of up to $1,500 that students can spend on vendors. private lessons. Five Republican lawmakers joined Democrats in voting against the legislation.
Alexander, R-Hanover, said she wanted the vote to take place even without assurances it would pass because it was “about doing the right thing.”
“If anyone really believes in not giving our children the opportunity to improve their academic achievement during the summer months, I see the value in holding them accountable for that,” Alexander said.
Democratic lawmakers had opposed the legislation because they feared the program would divert money otherwise intended for the public school system to private tutoring companies.
The bill’s failure came less than three months after Alexander’s failed efforts to repeal the state sale and use tax on children’s and adult diapers. Failing a measure once it’s on the House voting chart is a rarity, having two in the space of three months is even less common.
Bills are not usually tagged for a final vote in the House unless Republican majority leaders are sure the required support is there to pass the legislation. Occasionally, if a bill appears doomed, the Floor Leaders will withdraw the bill from council before the vote is complete.
Before the failure of Alexander’s diaper bill in March, one of the last notable failures of a House vote was in 2017, when the GOP majority failed to secure the necessary votes. to lower the personal income tax rate.
The fourth GOP gubernatorial debate scheduled for July
The Republican Party of Michigan and WOOD TV 8 have announced they will partner to host the fourth GOP Governors’ Debate, hosted by political reporter Rick Albin.
The debate will take place at 7 p.m. July 6 on WOOD TV 8 in West Michigan and will be offered in media markets such as Marquette, Flint/Saginaw, Traverse City/Cadillac, Lansing and Detroit.
“It is clear that our state is in crisis on many fronts and it is important that Michiganders hear directly from our gubernatorial candidates how they will tackle each of these issues head-on and how our state would fare better on all fronts. levels of government with a Republican in office. Michigan Republican Party Chairman Ron Weiser said in a statement.
To participate, candidates must be on the August primary ballot and vote at or above 5 percentage points.
Those who qualified for the ballot include conservative TV commentator and Norton Shores businesswoman Tudor Dixon, Mattawan chiropractor Garrett Soldano, Bloomfield Township businessman Kevin Rinke, pastor Ralph Rebandt and Allendale real estate broker Ryan Kelley, who was charged Thursday with federal offenses related to his actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.
Past gubernatorial debates have been hosted by the Livingston County Republican Party, Northern Michigan’s 9 & 10 News, and the Detroit Regional Chamber during the Mackinac Policy Conference.
“This televised debate will be the best chance for voters across the state to see the candidates side-by-side and compare and contrast their positions and abilities,” Albin said in a statement.
