Tom Leonard / Photo credit Plunkett Cooney law firm.
LANSING, Mich. (FOX 2) - Republican Tom Leonard announced Thursday that he is dropping out of the race for Michigan governor.
The former Speaker of the House launched his campaign last summer. In a press release announcing that he was pulling out of the race, he said he was focused on mental health reform, addressing the rise of AI data centers, and the auto insurance system, among other issues.
"We didn't run a campaign built on slogans or talking points. We ran on substance and bold solutions, moving the conversation forward in a meaningful way," Leonard said. "But it's also clear the political environment does not consistently reward that kind of campaign."
Leonard said that the "race has gotten increasingly negative" in recent weeks, leading to his decision to withdraw.
Despite Leonard dropping out of the primary, the pool of Republicans vying to be Michigan's next governor remains crowded.
Dig deeper:
Leonard served as the Michigan House chamber’s top lawmaker from 2017 to 2018.
He also served as an assistant Michigan attorney general and as a prosecutor in Genesee County, where he worked the Special Crimes Division.
He ran for attorney general in Michigan twice, losing to Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel in the 2018 general election by 3 percentage points and to Matthew DePerno, an attorney, in the 2022 GOP primary.
The Source: A press release from Leonard and previous reporting were used.
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