Candidates for Governor of the State of Michigan in the August 2nd, 2022 Primaries!

Tuesday, August 2nd, 2022 is here and there are a limited number of seats that have our attention this primary election cycle. Most candidates are running unopposed in their respective party contests. Leaving little excitement around the August 2nd primary results. However, one race stands far and above the rest in drawing attention...the Michigan Governors' Race.

Since Incumbant Democratic Governor, Gretchen Whitmer, is running unopposed in the Democratic Primary, all the attention focuses on the Republican Primary Candidates for Governor.

The Republicans have five candidates for Governor. Primary Voters are asked to vote for not more than 1. The following are 250 words or less provided from the candidates.


Tudor Dixon

Tudor Dixon is a businesswoman, breast-cancer survivor, and working mom of four girls. She built a career in Michigan's steel industry throughout the early 2000s, leading industrial sales for heavy equipment in the agriculture, automotive, and energy sectors, among others. Quickly a leader in that space, Tudor was highlighted in 2009 at just thirty-one years old as part of "Metalcasting's Next Generation" by trade magazine Foundry Management & Technology and served as Chairwoman of the Steel Founders Society of America's Future Leaders Committee.

Tudor paused her career upon having children and being diagnosed with breast cancer. After beating cancer, Tudor returned to the steel industry briefly before beginning an entrepreneurial journey that led her to conservative media and activism.

Always solutions-oriented, Tudor has established herself as the visionary and clear policy leader in the Republican field. She is the only candidate to release detailed plans to rebuild and grow the economy, stop the indoctrination of our school children, empower parents in education, expand school choice options, apply common-sense reforms to Michigan's elections, and more.

Tudor's commitment to casting a real governing vision has won her support and continues to generate momentum. Endorsements include Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan, Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Police Officers Association of Michigan, Right to Life of Michigan, Congressman Bill Huizenga, Congresswoman Lisa McClain, Ambassador Ric Grenell, Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, Governor John Engler, and President Donald Trump.


Ryan D. Kelley

Ryan has lived in West Michigan for 35 years. He now resides in Allendale with his wife and 5 beautiful children.

As a real estate broker, who owns his own firm, Ryan is a small business owner serving clients across Michigan.

Ryan graduated from Jenison High School in 1999. He attended Grand Rapids Community College and worked on a degree in Electronics Engineering before starting to work for the CWA (Communication Workers of America) union at Ameritech, which later became AT&T.

Leaving AT&T in 2011 for an entrepreneurial life, Ryan owned and built a real estate investment firm. In the mid 2010’s, Ryan partnered to build a franchise company, and while serving as COO, navigated complex legal contracts and disclosures. Later, as CEO, he developed custom proprietary software and facilitated office openings in multiple states, while leading large teams to success.

As 2020 began, and the coronavirus topic began to invade every aspect of our lives, Ryan quickly became a voice of freedom, hope and reason for the state of Michigan. Ryan led large rallies protesting the statewide lockdowns at the Capitol in Lansing and in Grand Rapids.

Being a courageous voice for conservative values came with a price, as cancel culture quickly descended on Ryan, his family, business and township appointment. However, he would not back down and stood strong against their threats and intimidation tactics.

Fighting for American values, our constitution, election integrity and a free Michigan for future generations, Ryan is now running for Governor of Michigan.


Ralph Rebandt

Ralph A. Rebandt II was born and raised in Woodhaven, Wayne County, Michigan.

Ralph has served as lead pastor for Oakland Hills Community Church in Farmington Hills Michigan since 1987, and is the Chairman of the OPC Church Extension Committee (CHEX).

Ralph is chaplain for the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police, Southeastern Michigan Chiefs of Police, Farmington Hills Police Department, Beverly Hills Police Department, and serves as a board member for the Farmington Hills Crime Prevention Advisory Committee.

Ralph earned a Bachelor's Degree in Religious Education from Summit University, Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania; Master's Degree in Religious Education Westminster Seminary, Philadelphia; and Master of Divinity Degree from Westminster Seminary, Philadelphia, where he graduated magna cum laude and acquired credits in the Ph.D. program.

Earlier in his career, Ralph was a member of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, the Michigan Laborers Union, and the United Steelworkers. Ralph served as Religious Advisor on Governor Engler’s Sex and Drugs Education Task Force, Farmington Hills Year 2000 Planning Committee, and as a member for Farmington Families in Action.

Presently, Ralph serves as a member of the Board of Governors for the Council for National Policy located in Washington, D.C., and locally as a member of Farmington Hills S.A.F.E. (Suicide Awareness for Everyone.)

Ralph and his high school sweetheart, Carol, were married in 1976, and have four grown children and sixteen grandchildren. They live in Oakland County, Michigan.

Endorsements include: SE Michigan Chiefs of Police and GodVoter.org




Kevin Rinke

Kevin Rinke is a husband, father, businessman, lifelong Michigander and accomplished leader.

Kevin learned the value of hard work as a young man in Southeastern Michigan. He started his career working at the family automotive business, picking up trash, cleaning customer restrooms and washing cars. After graduating from Michigan State in 1983, Kevin joined the family business on a full-time basis. As the head of the Rinke Automotive Group, Kevin was known for a leadership style that welcomed input from every team member.

Under Kevin’s leadership, the Rinke Automotive Group became one of the most successful private dealership groups in the country, providing good-paying jobs and quality healthcare to thousands of Michigan families. He has also been an executive for Penske Automotive and Sonic Automotive, two of the largest publicly traded auto dealerships in the world.

In 2009, Kevin was introduced to Cassell & Associates and was immediately moved by the impact they had on the lives of traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors and their families. He invested in the business because he believed in the opportunity it provided to its clients and staff.

These life experiences have helped Kevin develop a unique skill set that he can leverage to help the people of Michigan recover the consequences of poor leadership and political bickering. He promises to lead Michigan with humility and courage.

Kevin and Janine, his wife of 25 years, reside in Oakland County. They have three children, Amanda, Grant and Katherine, two dogs and a cat.


Garrett Soldano

Garrett Soldano is a chiropractor, small business owner, author, public speaker, family man, proud Catholic and former WMU football player.

Soldano owns and operates Soldano Family Chiropractic Center in Kalamazoo, and is the author of “God’s True Law, a parent’s guide to raising successful children.” He has raised two boys, Jack and Alex, with his beautiful wife Jennifer in Kalamazoo.

As a young child, Garrett grew up in a trailer park, and witnessed his parents pull their family out of poverty and reclaim the American Dream. Garrett received his bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Western Michigan University. He played football for the WMU Broncos for 5 years and signed a free agent contract with the Chicago Bears but was cut before the season began.

Garrett did a tremendous amount of soul searching to figure out what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. He decided to attend Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, IA, and has since dedicated his life and career to relieving pain and encouraging healthy, abundant lifestyles.

Governor Whitmer’s unconstitutional executive orders have impacted Garrett personally. Like thousands of small business owners across Michigan, he was forced to navigate excessive restrictions, regulations, and job-killing lockdowns that defied science and common sense. This motivated Garrett to mobilize hundreds of thousands of everyday citizens to Stand Up for Michigan, defend our constitutional freedoms, sacred values, citizen rights and peacefully rally to re-open and rebuild our state.

Aug 1, 2022, Rochester.Life Staff