James Brings Gubernatorial Campaign to Dickinson County, outlines priorities for Michigan and the UP
By Crossfire Media
DICKINSON COUNTY, Mich. — A crowd of roughly 20 to 25 gathered at the Dickinson County Republican headquarters Wednesday as U.S. Rep. John James, a Republican candidate for Michigan governor, made a stop in the Upper Peninsula during a day that his campaign said included at least nine stops across Michigan.
The conversation ranged from education and energy to local government, taxes, labor, insurance, immigration, wildlife and wildfire preparedness.
For residents in Dickinson and Iron counties, however, one theme repeatedly returned to the surface:
Who should have the final say over what happens in their communities — Lansing, or the people who live there?
James repeatedly argued for the latter.
He described his desired role as a governor as a “facilitator and not a dictator,” telling the audience that communities should lead on decisions affecting their own land, economy and future.
The meeting also gave James an opportunity to speak directly to issues particularly relevant to the Upper Peninsula, including large-scale renewable energy projects, farmland, electricity costs, wolves, forestry, wildfire preparedness and the region’s economic potential.
A message of courage at a headquarters that became a symbol of it
James opened by thanking Barb and Ray, two active members of the Dickinson County Republican Party who helped organize the gathering.
He specifically referenced what he called the community’s “spirit of courage,” pointing to the physical headquarters and the organization’s continued presence following an incident last summer in which police reported that a 19-year-old attempted to throw a Molotov cocktail at the Republican headquarters.
The incident drew attention beyond the local community, including coverage by Detroit media.
State police were also parked nearby during Wednesday’s gathering.
James used the incident to broaden his opening message into one about political courage.
He spoke about standing up for people who cannot stand up for themselves, speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves and remembering what he described as the Republican Party’s historical roots.
“The courage to stand beyond fear,” he told the crowd. “The courage to do the right thing anyway.”
The audience applauded.
James also leaned into his personal connection to the Upper Peninsula, describing himself as an “adopted Yooper.” He described spending summers in the U.P., learning to shoot, chopping down trees and fishing with his father.
He said Michigan has “all the natural ingredients” necessary to succeed, but argued that the state needs leadership capable of bringing those resources and its people together.
He also said the U.P. should be represented by a governor who does more than occasionally visit the region.
“Yoopers will be well represented down under the bridge,” he told the crowd.
“It’s amazing, the great beauty that we have, and the most beautiful thing is the people and the opportunity. We have all the natural ingredients to be successful, to thrive. But I believe we need leadership together to make sure that we can all thrive.
“People forget this is a great state of two different peninsulas. And each one of us deserves to have a governor who doesn’t just visit, but somebody who has a piece of every corner in their heart.
“So I want to say thank you for what you have sown into me—the culture, the values—and just know that Yoopers will be well represented down under the bridge.”
Education: “Back to the basics”
Education quickly became one of the most extensive policy discussions of the afternoon.
James described Michigan’s education system as failing children and said his administration would focus on what he called the fundamentals.
That includes:
Literacy
Reading
Phonics
Numeracy
Mathematics
Attendance
Academic mastery
Career and technical education
James said he wants students promoted based on mastery of the material, rather than simply advancing because they have reached a certain age or completed a certain number of school years.
His broader campaign platform similarly calls for literacy-based promotion, proven phonics instruction, intervention for students who are falling behind and year-round instructional opportunities.
He wants schools graded, too
James drew a comparison between grading students and evaluating schools.
Students aren’t graded because teachers or parents dislike them, he said. They are graded because adults need to know how they are doing so they can determine how to help.
He argued that the same principle should apply to schools.
Teachers and administrators, he said, should be evaluated, and school performance should be measured.
That evaluation, he argued, could also help determine where educators need additional training and where compensation should be increased.
James went so far as to say there is no reason a kindergarten teacher, third-grade teacher or high-school math teacher shouldn’t potentially earn six figures.
But he tied higher compensation to accountability and evaluation.
His campaign’s broader education agenda also calls for greater accountability for Michigan’s educational outcomes and more parental control over educational choices.
Parents should have more information — and more choices
James said parents should have the information necessary to determine where their children will be safest and most successful.
That means, in his view, knowing what schools are actually accomplishing rather than simply accepting the school assigned by a family’s ZIP code.
His current education platform goes beyond what he discussed in Dickinson County, calling for expanded educational choice, additional charter-school options and participation in the federal K-12 Education Freedom Tax Credit.
A diploma should be more than paper
James also argued that Michigan needs to rethink what a high-school diploma represents.
He wants students to leave high school with something that can translate into opportunity — whether that is college preparation or a credential that allows them to enter the workforce.
He specifically mentioned:
Skilled trades
Certifications
Professional licenses
Apprenticeships
Cooperatives
Marketable skills
He proposed beginning exposure to skilled trades as early as middle school.
The concept is straightforward: a diploma should be a ticket to prosperity, not simply a piece of paper.
“Failure Is Not Final”: James floats a new approach to summer school
One of the more detailed proposals James discussed was something he called a “Failure Is Not Final” plan.
He said he is still developing the concept, but one component could be bringing back a stronger summer-school model.
Under the idea he described, summer school wouldn’t necessarily be reserved for students who are failing.
Instead, it could serve several purposes.
A student who needs additional time to master a subject could receive it.
A student who wants to get ahead could voluntarily participate.
Students could potentially receive career-oriented instruction, including opportunities such as CNC machining, cosmetology, apprenticeships and cooperative programs.
James said some of those opportunities could be developed through public-private partnerships.
He also connected summer programming to public safety.
His argument was that keeping young people engaged in constructive activities could simultaneously:
Reduce learning loss
Provide additional academic support
Give students opportunities to develop skills
Provide childcare and meals
Potentially reduce opportunities for juvenile crime
He referenced recent youth violence in Detroit as an example of what can happen when young people lack productive alternatives.
Summer school and tourism?
James also proposed an unconventional possibility: Michigan could potentially extend the traditional tourism season while expanding educational opportunities.
He suggested a summer calendar running roughly from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Students who need additional instruction could attend.
Students who don’t could spend time with their families traveling throughout Michigan.
He specifically mentioned Pictured Rocks as an example of the type of U.P. destination families could visit.
The idea, he said, could potentially allow Michigan to address education, public safety and tourism simultaneously.
Local control becomes the central theme
The conversation eventually moved into one of James’ clearest and most repeated campaign positions: local control.
“We have to restore local control,” he said.
That position came up most prominently when the discussion turned to large renewable-energy projects.
James said he intends to pursue repeal of Public Act 233, a 2023 Michigan law that created a state-level siting process through the Michigan Public Service Commission for certain utility-scale renewable-energy and energy-storage facilities.
But there is some important context in this topic.
What PA 233 actually changed
Public Act 233 became effective November 29, 2024.
According to the Michigan Public Service Commission, it created an additional state siting option for qualifying utility-scale renewable and energy-storage projects under specified circumstances.
The law applies to:
Solar facilities of 50 megawatts or more
Wind facilities of 100 megawatts or more
Energy-storage facilities of 50 megawatts or more with at least 200 megawatt-hours of discharge capability
James characterized the law as an example of Lansing taking authority away from local communities.
The MPSC’s explanation is more nuanced.
The Commission says PA 233 does not eliminate local siting authority. If a local government has a compatible renewable energy ordinance, or CREO, the project generally continues through the local siting process unless certain statutory circumstances trigger the state process. If a local government does not have a qualifying ordinance, a developer can, under specified conditions, choose the state process.
The law also provides for public participation and allows affected local governments and certain property owners to participate in MPSC proceedings. The MPSC says landowners cannot be forced to participate in a project through PA 233, and state approval does not give a developer eminent-domain authority.
In other words, James’ criticism is fundamentally about where ultimate siting authority should reside, while the actual law establishes a more complicated division of authority between local governments and the state.
That distinction is important for Michigan residents trying to understand the debate.
And it is particularly relevant in the U.P., where large-scale energy development has become a contentious issue.
James’ five rules for development
When asked about large renewable projects and other developments such as data centers, James offered a five-part framework.
He said Michigan should prioritize:
1. Local control
2. Keeping electricity bills low
3. Preventing pollution
4. Protecting Michigan’s water
5. Using blighted properties and brownfields before productive green farmland
He emphasized that he is not opposed to economic development.
In fact, he said he strongly supports it, particularly in the Upper Peninsula.
But he believes communities should determine what development they want.
“If you want to go in a direction,” he said, decisions about how that happens should belong to local residents.
His role, he said, would be to help make it happen — not dictate the outcome.
“This is how government should work,” he said.
Energy: “All of the above”
Energy policy became another major focus.
James said Michigan needs an “all of the above” energy strategy.
Rather than relying on government mandates to determine which technologies should produce Michigan’s electricity, he said different energy sources should be allowed to compete.
He mentioned:
Natural gas
Nuclear
Oil and gas
Wood-burning generation
Internal-combustion generation
Solar
Wind
Energy storage
He said the Upper Peninsula’s energy needs aren’t necessarily the same as those in southern Michigan and argued against a one-size-fits-all approach.
Nuclear power
James said he believes Michigan should explore moving, over the long term, from natural gas toward nuclear energy.
At the same time, he argued that Michigan should not prematurely remove existing sources of electricity from the grid before reliable replacements are ready.
Renewable mandates
A citizen suggested eliminating Michigan’s renewable portfolio standard and allowing all energy sources to compete.
James responded positively.
Michigan currently has a statutory renewable-energy standard requiring retail electric providers to reach 50% renewable energy by 2030 and 60% by 2035. Those requirements were established through Public Act 235.
James’ position is that Michigan should move away from mandates he believes force utilities toward technologies before they are sufficiently affordable or reliable.
He connected those mandates to rising electricity costs.
Farmland, water and brownfields
James repeatedly returned to the idea that Michigan shouldn’t sacrifice productive agricultural land unnecessarily.
He said industrial-scale energy facilities should, where possible, be directed toward:
Brownfields and already-developed or blighted land before productive farmland.
He also repeatedly emphasized clean water and pollution prevention.
His energy position, therefore, is not simply opposition to renewable energy.
His stated framework is:
affordability + reliability + environmental protection + local control.
He argued that Michigan can pursue energy development while protecting farmland, water and communities.
Economic development in the U.P.
James said the Upper Peninsula has economic opportunities that aren’t being fully leveraged.
He mentioned projects such as data centers and industrial development as examples.
But he said the region should lead those conversations.
He also emphasized the U.P.’s natural resources, workforce and geographic assets.
The broader economic philosophy he presented was built around:
Lower taxes
Less regulation
Affordable energy
Worker freedom
Economic development
Local decision-making
His campaign has separately identified economic development, infrastructure and affordability among its major statewide priorities.
Taxes and affordability
James connected Michigan’s economic struggles to what he sees as an unnecessarily expensive operating environment.
During the meeting, he said he wants to:
Eliminate the personal income tax
Eliminate property taxes
Reduce regulations
Reform energy policy
Reform insurance and liability laws
He argued that Michigan needs to become more competitive with states that are attracting people and businesses.
Right to Work: “Yes”
Crossfire Media asked James directly whether he supports making Michigan a Right to Work state again.
His answer was unequivocal:
Yes.
Michigan repealed its Right to Work law in 2023.
James framed the issue as one of individual worker choice.
His position is that:
Workers who want to belong to a union should be able to.
Workers who don’t want to belong to a union should also have that choice.
Government shouldn’t force workers into either option.
He said he believes strongly in “worker freedom” and “labor choice.”
He also argued that Right to Work states can still have strong union representation and economic growth.
No-fault insurance and tort reform
Another significant issue raised by residents was Michigan’s auto-insurance system.
James said Michigan should reform its no-fault system and move toward something more comparable to the auto-insurance structure used in many other states.
He blamed high insurance costs in part on what he described as excessive litigation and litigation incentives.
He specifically criticized:
Third-party investment in lawsuits
Large “nuclear verdicts”
Litigation targeted at companies because of their insurance coverage
The resulting increase in insurance premiums
He broadened the issue into a larger call for tort and liability reform.
His stated objective is an environment that protects vulnerable people and preserves legitimate rights while reducing what he considers abusive incentives.
Law enforcement, immigration and the Constitution
The discussion then shifted toward public safety and immigration.
James repeatedly returned to one phrase:
Enforce the law.
He said Michigan already has many laws on the books that aren’t being enforced adequately.
He also invoked his military service, saying his oath to the Constitution didn’t end when he took off his uniform.
He described the Constitution as the nation’s fundamental law and said he would enforce it as governor.
Immigration
When a resident asked whether he would cooperate with ICE, James said his approach would be to enforce existing immigration laws rather than treat federal immigration enforcement as an extraordinary or controversial function.
He said that if someone breaks the law, there should be consequences, regardless of who that person is.
He described enforcement as needing to be:
Equal
Fair
Consistent
Without political bias
He also said immigrants should obey American laws, assimilate into American culture and contribute to the country.
James connected this to his broader message that extremism has no place in the United States.
Wolves, wildlife and conservation
The U.P.’s wolf population also came up.
Asked whether wolves should be removed from the endangered-species list, James said that if wolves are no longer endangered, they should not be treated as though they are.
He described himself as a sportsman and said wildlife management should be based on:
Science
Conservation
Population balance
The needs of farmers and hunters
The broader ecosystem
But his answer went beyond wolves.
He connected wildlife management to forest management and wildfire preparedness.
Wildfires and the U.P.’s forests
James recalled the Canadian wildfire smoke that severely affected the U.P., saying his family experienced conditions so bad that ash was getting onto their clothes and vehicle.
He described the region as experiencing some of the worst air quality in the world during the event.
He said the experience raised concerns for him about the U.P.’s preparedness for its own wildfires.
He specifically mentioned the amount of combustible material on the forest floor and what he described as insufficient preparation and support for the region.
For James, wildlife and forest policy are connected.
His stated approach encompasses:
wildlife + forests + wildfire preparedness + air quality + water + public health + economic protection.
A recurring argument: Michigan doesn’t need more ideology — it needs results
Throughout the afternoon, James repeatedly contrasted what he called “common sense” with policies he described as ideological or extreme.
He argued that Michigan needs policies that work in practice rather than policies adopted because they sound good politically.
That philosophy showed up across nearly every topic he discussed.
In education:
Teach children to read and give them practical skills.
In energy:
Use multiple sources and keep electricity reliable and affordable.
In development:
Let communities decide.
In labor:
Let workers choose.
In insurance:
Reduce incentives for abuse and bring down costs.
In public safety:
Enforce the laws already on the books.
In wildlife:
Follow science and conservation principles.
What James says he would change
By the end of the meeting, the collection of proposals amounted to a fairly broad vision for Michigan.
James said he would pursue:
Education reform centered on literacy, phonics, numeracy, mastery and accountability.
Expanded parental choice and greater transparency in education.
Earlier career and technical education, with students leaving high school with useful credentials and skills.
Expanded summer education, including his proposed “Failure Is Not Final” concept.
Local control, particularly over land use and development.
Repeal of PA 233, because he believes communities should retain greater authority over large renewable-energy projects.
An all-of-the-above energy policy, including exploration of expanded nuclear power.
Lower energy costs and opposition to energy policies he believes increase utility bills.
Protection of water, farmland and the environment.
Prioritization of brownfields and blighted property for major development.
Economic development in the Upper Peninsula, provided communities are leading the process.
Income and property tax reductions, including his stated goal of eliminating both.
Regulatory reform.
Restoration of Right to Work, framed as worker freedom.
No-fault auto-insurance reform and broader tort reform.
Stronger enforcement of existing laws.
Immigration-law enforcement and cooperation with federal authorities.
Constitutional protections and individual rights.
Science-based wildlife management.
Greater wildfire preparedness and support for the Upper Peninsula.
A governor’s race, viewed from the U.P.
James’ Dickinson County appearance was ultimately about more than any single policy.
For an audience in the Upper Peninsula, the central question running through many of the exchanges was whether decisions affecting the region should be made in Lansing or closer to home.
That question surfaced in discussions about solar farms.
It surfaced in discussions about data centers.
It surfaced in energy policy.
It surfaced in education.
It surfaced in economic development.
It surfaced in wildlife management.
And James repeatedly gave the same answer:
The people who live there should have a significant voice in deciding what happens there.
Whether that philosophy can be translated into policy is another question.
Repealing PA 233, for example, would require changing Michigan’s existing statutory framework governing utility-scale renewable-energy siting. And while James characterized PA 233 as removing local control, the MPSC’s own explanation makes clear that the law preserves local siting authority under certain circumstances while creating a state pathway for qualifying projects.
Likewise, moving Michigan to an “all-of-the-above” energy strategy would have to contend with existing state requirements, including the renewable-energy standards established under PA 235. Those standards currently call for 50% renewable energy by 2030 and 60% by 2035.
And proposals such as eliminating Michigan’s personal income and property taxes, restoring Right to Work and substantially changing no-fault insurance would involve major changes to the state’s current fiscal, labor and insurance systems.
But those distinctions are important precisely because James wasn’t speaking to the crowd merely in broad political slogans.
He was offering a series of specific policy directions — some of them sweeping — that would affect how Michigan approaches education, energy, taxes, labor, insurance, public safety and local government.
For Dickinson and Iron County residents, perhaps the clearest takeaway from Wednesday’s meeting was the promise James repeated several times:
He says Lansing should help communities decide their future — not decide it for them.
And for a region that has spent generations building its economy around its forests, mines, farmland, water, small businesses and communities, that question of who gets to make those decisions may become one of the defining issues of the 2026 Michigan governor’s race.
To read more about his campaign, visit his official campaign website, HERE
