Another former Republican lawmaker has entered the race to be Michigan’s next governor.
Former State House Speaker Tom Leonard (R-DeWitt) announced his campaign late Monday night.
“We’ve got a message that we can take anywhere across the state and that’s exactly what we’re going to do,” said Leonard.
Leonard said one issue he’ll focus on is improving the reading proficiency of Michigan schoolchildren. To address what he calls a “crisis,” Leonard points to what the state of Mississippi has accomplished in the past decade.
Starting in 2013, Mississippi revamped its education standards to put an emphasis on phonics, vocabulary and reading comprehension. In addition, kindergarten through third grade teachers receive additional training and support.
The result: Mississippi’s fourth grade reading scores rose nationally from 49th in 2013 to 20th in 2023.
Access to mental health treatment and greater government transparency are two other top issues for Leonard.
Tom Leonard served in the Michigan state House from 2013 to 2018, including serving as Speaker of the House. In 2018, he unsuccessfully ran for Michigan attorney general. Later, his nomination to be U.S Attorney for the Western District of Michigan was blocked by Michigan’s two Democratic U.S. Senators.
Leonard joins a crowded Republican field, including Congressman John James, State Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt and former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox.
There are also several Democrats and one prominent Independent candidate running to succeed Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer. She is unable to run again in 2026 because of term limits.
