MI-GOV: Former Michigan House speaker joins Republican gubernatorial fray
Tom Leonard, a former Michigan Speaker of the House and former candidate for attorney general, has entered the Republican gubernatorial chat, announcing his bid for the top office in 2026.
Leonard announced his intention to run for governor Monday evening in a news release. He touted his status as a lifelong Michigander and his conservative leadership as assets in the general election should he be nominated by the Michigan Republican Party voters early next year.
The former legislator said his campaign would focus on turning Michigan into a “growth state” and making life more affordable by “lowering taxes, reforming burdensome regulations and empowering workers through freedom to work policies.”
“Michigan currently ranks second-to-last in unemployment, and our education system is bottom 10 in the nation,” Leonard said in a statement. “We cannot afford another lost decade where our children are forced to leave the state for better opportunity. My priority throughout this campaign will be to lay out a positive vision with real solutions to address our state’s most pressing problems with a clear focus on making Michigan a growth state.”
https://michiganadvance.com/2025/06/17/former-michigan-house-speaker-joins-republican-gubernatorial-fray/