At CheckMyVote, our endorsements are not intended to be permanent. They are based on our evaluation of candidates, their public records, their stated positions, and our organization’s mission of promoting election integrity, government transparency, and constitutional governance. As campaigns evolve, we believe it is appropriate to periodically review those endorsements and determine whether they continue to reflect our assessment.
After conducting that review, CheckMyVote has formally withdrawn its previous endorsement of Aric Nesbitt in the 2026 Michigan gubernatorial race. At the same time, we are announcing that our current endorsement is Perry Johnson.
Our endorsement process has always been guided by principles rather than personalities. We believe organizations that issue endorsements also have a responsibility to reevaluate them as campaigns develop and new public actions occur.
One factor considered during our review was Aric Nesbitt’s public endorsement of Congressman John James. That endorsement prompted additional discussion within our organization regarding the direction of the campaign and whether our previous endorsement continued to reflect our current evaluation. After reviewing the available information, we concluded that it did not.
This decision reflects our own organizational review process. Our goal is to remain consistent with the standards we apply to every candidate who seeks our support.
Perry Johnson brings a significantly different background to the gubernatorial race than many traditional candidates for public office. A longtime Michigan resident and businessman, Johnson earned a degree in mathematics from the University of Illinois before building several companies focused on quality management systems, ISO certification, and organizational efficiency.
Throughout his career, Johnson has worked with manufacturers and businesses seeking to improve operational performance through measurable standards and accountability. He has also authored numerous books on quality management and business systems, building a career around the principle that organizations perform best when they operate with clear standards, transparency, and continuous evaluation.
Johnson first sought the Republican nomination for Governor in 2022. Although his campaign ended after petition signature issues prevented him from appearing on the ballot, he continued his involvement in public policy and later entered the 2024 Republican presidential primary before ending that campaign and endorsing President Donald Trump.
For the 2026 gubernatorial race, Johnson has centered his campaign on reducing the size and cost of state government, proposing a Michigan Efficiency Government Audit, advocating for elimination of Michigan’s state income tax, supporting property tax reform, and emphasizing fiscal accountability and government efficiency.
More information about Perry Johnson and his campaign is available at PerryJohnson.com.
While candidates and campaigns change, the mission of CheckMyVote remains constant.
Our organization exists to promote transparency, accountability, and public confidence in elections by providing citizens with data-driven tools that allow them to better understand voter registration records and election administration. Every endorsement we issue is evaluated through that lens, and every endorsement remains subject to review as circumstances evolve.
We recognize that reasonable people may reach different conclusions about political candidates. Our responsibility is to remain transparent about our own evaluation process and to continue applying the same standards consistently.
While traveling in Europe recently, I was reminded of something that is easy to overlook when we spend our lives here in America.
Many people understandably take for granted what our country offers because it has always been part of their everyday experience. Stepping outside the United States has a way of putting that into perspective. It reinforces an appreciation for what the American Founders envisioned and the constitutional framework they worked so hard to establish.
Someone asked me during my travels why I love America.
My answer was simple.
“America doesn’t take shit from anyone, and that’s one of the reasons I love America.”
Behind that statement is a deeper appreciation for the resilience, independence, and spirit that have defined our nation throughout its history. The freedoms Americans enjoy today were secured through extraordinary sacrifice and have been preserved by generations willing to defend them.
Those freedoms should never be taken for granted. They are worth protecting, and they are worth every sacrifice required to preserve them.
— Phani Mantravadi
Founder, CheckMyVote
Election integrity depends on informed citizens.
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