A week after Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox withdrew as a candidate for governor of Michigan, all signs pointed to a Republican primary (Aug. 4) victory for conservative Rep. John James.

James topped the Mitchell Research poll conducted in June. Among likely primary voters, Mitchell found James led Cox 28% to 27%, with billionaire Perry Johnson trailing at 23%.

A Susquehanna Poll conducted about the same time showed James at 32.3%, Cox at 22.3%, and Johnson at 17.3%.

But that was before President Trump weighed in with a strong endorsement of James. In addition, Cox himself endorsed the congressman and vowed to work hard for the Republican ticket in the fall.

"John James is so far ahead of Perry Johnson that it will not be a tight primary," James Haveman, a Grand Rapids consultant and former director of the Michigan Department of Community Health, told Newsmax. "Perry is not within striking distance."

Rocky Raczkowski, former Oakland County GOP chairman, agreed.

"[Cox’s endorsement] helps John James," he told us,. "The Polymarket bets on the Republican Michigan governor primary race has a 74% chance that John wins and a 24% chance that Perry wins."

With Gov. Gretchen Whitmer termed out, the Republican nominee is likely to face fellow Democrat and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.

If nominated, James, 45, will be the second black nominee for governor of either party since fellow Republican Bill Lucas in 1986.