Who’s funding Michigan governor candidates? New filings reveal top donors

Republican businessman Perry Johnson has spent nearly $30 million in his bid to be Michigan’s next governor
Democrat Jocelyn Benson led fundraising with $5 million in donations, including big union money, and a $6.4 million war chest
John James’s GOP campaign and an allied super PAC had a combined $3.2 million in the bank, thanks in part to DeVos donations

Businessman Perry Johnson has poured nearly $30 million of his own money into his quest to become Michigan’s next governor. But will it be enough?

In the heated Republican primary against Trump-endorsed US Rep. John James, Johnson has spent $23 million this year bombarding Michigan’s airwaves with a series of commercials taunting his signature campaign promises: the elimination of the state’s income tax and a “MEGA audit.”

Disclosures filed Friday show Johnson is already nearing the record $30 million of self-funding that Dick DeVos put into his 2006 campaign for governor, which included spending in the general election he lost to Jennifer Granholm, according to Michigan Campaign Finance Network records.

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The DeVos family, longtime powerbrokers in the Michigan GOP, is now backing James for governor. Nine family members donated a combined $80,750 to James’ campaign this year — and $108,225 for the cycle.

That’s on top of the $6 million donated to a pro-James super PAC since 2025 by Dan and Pamella DeVos, including $1 million in July.

The vast majority of Johnson’s spending, about $26.7 million, went through businesses at least partly owned by political consultant John Yob, who is also managing Johnson’s campaign.

The winner of the Aug. 4 primary between James and Johnson will go on to face either Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson or Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, who are competing for the Democratic nomination.

Friday’s filings were the first glimpse Michiganders have had into gubernatorial campaign finance filings this year. The disclosures came just 11 days before the primary, and a full month after absentee ballots were sent to voters.

Benson builds war chest

The reports show Benson, the Democratic frontrunner, has so far raised more from donors this year than any other candidate. She reported $5 million in contributions through July 20.

Benson is far ahead of Swanson in most polls of the Democratic primary, and the fundraising reflected that. Swanson raised just about $722,000 over the first seven months of 2026, and spent $806,000.

And after spending a relatively small amount, Benson ended the reporting period with more than $6.4 million in the bank. That’s more than four times as much as James, the Republican frontrunner, has in reserves: $1.4 million.

“While Republicans have spent months burning through millions of dollars trying to prove who is most loyal to Donald Trump, we’ve been building up the necessary campaign infrastructure and ensuring we have the resources to win in November,” Benson campaign manager Nikki Goldschein said in a statement.

James, though, touted fundraising by the Mission Michigan super PAC supporting him, which reported raising nearly $2.5 million so far in 2026 and ended the period with $1.9 million in the bank.

A PAC established by Benson called Michigan Legacy PAC, which cannot independently spend to support her candidacy, will next have to file a disclosure on Monday.

Top donors

Benson received $8,325 contributions – the maximum allowed for an individual — from several donors, including:

Melinda French Gates, a philanthropist and former wife of Bill Gates. Her daughter Phoebe Gates also donated.
Osama Siblani, the publisher of the Arab American News. The publication also hosted a Benson fundraiser.
Melanie Harris, the president of the Detroit Pistons
Hill Harper, an actor and 2024 US Senate candidate in Michigan
Nat Simons, a billionaire hedge fund manager

Todd Flood, an attorney appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder to serve as special prosecutor during the Flint water crisis, gave $7,325.

Benson also received maximum PAC contributions — which are 10 times the limits individuals can give, $83,250 — from the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, and labor unions including the SEIU, UAW and LIUNA.

James, who’s expected to appear with President Donald Trump at an event on Monday, raised about $3.1 million between Jan. 1 and July 20. Some of his top donors included:

Eleven members of the billionaire DeVos family or employees of their family firm, the RDV Corporation, and their spouses, totaling $112,575.
Some of the DeVos donations were above the legal maximum for some members, though records show the campaign requested “spousal attribution” to split the donations.
Harlan Crow, a billionaire real estate developer and conservative activist known for his relationship with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, gave $8,325. His wife also gave $8,325.
Danialle Karmanos, the CEO of MadDog Technology and wife of businessman Peter Karmanos Jr., gave $8,325.
Bill Parfet, who helped chair a “Republicans for Whitmer” group in 2022, and his wife each donated $8,325 to James’ campaign, along with $100,000 in total to the Mission Michigan super PAC.

James has not received significant donations from PACs representing special interests, as Benson has. But Mission Michigan, the super PAC supporting him, has reported receiving some significant dark money.

The PAC reported receiving $129,000 from a company called Michigan First Inc., with the same address in Mountain Brook, Alabama, as a compliance consulting firm hired by Mission Michigan, the Crosby Ottenhoff Group.

The PAC also received $500,000 from furniture magnate Richard Haworth and $250,000 from a pro-veteran dark money group called With Honor Action.

A PAC called Mission First People Always — a favorite slogan of James — is registered with the same compliance firm and the listed treasurer is a James congressional staffer. It reported receiving just two donations in 2026: from DTE and Consumers Energy, but later donated most of that money to the state and 8th Congressional District Republican parties.

Data centers, public funding

Data centers have emerged as a hot topic on the campaign trail this year, including the Republican gubernatorial primary, where Johnson has attacked James for contributions from the Rakolta family, whose Detroit-based Walbridge construction firm is building a hyperscale facility in Saline Township.

A disclosure filed Friday shows Rakolta family members have donated $16,650 to James’ gubernatorial campaign so far in 2026. Most of the contributions Johnson had criticized were to James’ prior congressional campaigns.

James was also the only candidate to apply for and receive public funding for his campaign. That system is available to all candidates and funded through an individual check box on income tax filings.

He has so far received $258,000 in public funds.

In a statement, James touted contributions from 8,300 Michiganders who he said have “invested in” the campaign.

“You are the heart of this movement and every dollar you have given is a vote of confidence in what we are building together,” he added.

Filings also showed former Attorney General Mike Cox, who dropped out of the race and endorsed James last week, had spent nearly $5.3 million of his own money on his gubernatorial bid.