Personal attacks and infidelity rumors break out in bitter Michigan governor’s race

Michigan’s race for governor took an ugly turn Tuesday after Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-MI) publicly accused Republican gubernatorial candidate Perry Johnson of spreading false claims about her, including an unsubstantiated infidelity rumor. The latest accusations escalate an already-bitter contest marked by lawsuits, ballot challenges, and attacks among GOP rivals.

The dispute began after Johnson posted a series of social media messages that were widely viewed as alluding to rumors involving Scholten and Rep. John James (R-MI), who is running for governor with President Donald Trump’s endorsement. Johnson later identified Scholten by name in subsequent posts, intensifying the controversy.

The allegations first gained attention when Politics & Poll Tracker, a politics-focused account, cited a rumor of a romantic relationship between Scholten and James but provided no evidence to support the allegation.

“The rumor is Hillary Scholten (D) and John James (R) had or are currently engaged in a romantic affair,” the post stated. “This rumor circulated among anti-John James Republicans in the MI GOP months ago and Perry Johnson’s campaign has been promoting it. Multiple people with connections to Michigan politics in both parties have been aware of the rumor for a while.”

Scholten forcefully rejected the insinuations.

“Pathetic Perry Johnson’s attacks against a single mom in Congress are sick and false. Knock it off and move on, boys,” the Michigan Democrat wrote on X. Earlier this year, Scholten announced her separation from her husband of 20 years, Jesse Holcomb. Court records show that their divorce proceedings have been acrimonious.

Johnson’s social media posts also included criticism of Scholten’s personal life and parenting, drawing condemnation from Democrats and introducing another layer of acrimony to a race that has already featured lawsuits, ballot challenges, and increasingly sharp exchanges between Republican rivals.

There is no public evidence substantiating the rumors referenced in the online posts.

The flare-up comes just days after former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox suspended his gubernatorial campaign following Trump’s endorsement of James, essentially transforming the Republican primary into a two-man contest between James and Johnson.

“Today I leave the race for Governor with great sadness because I never found a better experience than serving the people of Michigan as I did for 21 years as a prosecutor and Attorney General (and before that, as a Marine),” Cox said in a statement announcing his withdrawal.

Cox also pledged to support James in the general election, arguing that Trump’s endorsement had effectively settled the Republican nomination.

The increasingly personal attacks mark the latest chapter in a contentious Republican primary. Johnson has repeatedly targeted James throughout the campaign, challenging his ballot petitions, criticizing his campaign, and questioning his credentials as the GOP nominee of choice.

Now, the rhetoric has expanded beyond the candidates themselves, pulling Scholten — who is not running for governor — into the political crossfire.

The episode spotlights the increasingly combative tone of Michigan’s 2026 governor’s race as Republicans battle for the chance to succeed term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) while Democrats prepare for what is expected to be one of the nation’s most closely watched gubernatorial contests.

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James’s campaign did not immediately respond to the controversy, and Johnson has continued defending his posts on social media.

“Is it not true that you and John James sponsored multiple bills together like taxpayer funded childcare, voted together on Killswitches, and sat next to each other at the State of the Union?” he posted on X. “You even made a very public display about wanting to sit together. Working with you is why John James has the most liberal record of any Michigan Republican.”

The Republican primary is set for Aug. 4.