Meet the Candidates. Understand the Impact.
Join MMA for A Stronger Michigan: Manufacturing Conversations with Candidates for Governor — an exclusive virtual series that connects you directly with gubernatorial candidates. Learn where candidates for Michigan's highest office stand on issues shaping the state’s manufacturing future. As a member, you gain a front-row seat to dialogue around the policies, priorities and decisions influencing your operations, workforce and long-term growth across Michigan industries.
Meet Aric Nesbitt
Tuesday, June 16, 2026 • 3:00 p.m. • Register online.
Aric Nesbitt was raised on his family’s sixth-generation dairy and grape farm in Southwest Michigan, shaping a work ethic and instilling conservative values that guide his public service. A graduate of Hillsdale College, he has fought and won for conservative principles in the Michigan Legislature. As the top Republican in the Michigan Senate, Aric has led the charge against tax hikes and wants to build an economy where we “Make It in Michigan” again.
Meet Mike Cox
Thursday, June 25, 2026 • 3:00 p.m. • Register online.
Mike Cox is the son of immigrants, a U.S. Marine veteran, and a former prosecutor who spent 21 years taking on Detroit’s most dangerous criminals. In 2002, he became Michigan’s first Republican Attorney General in 50 years — cutting waste, fighting government overreach and defending our rights. He championed the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative to ban racial discrimination, volunteered to defend President Donald Trump’s campaign in federal court, and stood firm against woke mandates. Mike and his wife Laura (a former U.S. Customs agent) live in Livonia and have four kids — including a Marine and a Naval officer..
Meet John James
Thursday, July 16, 2026 • 3:00 p.m. • Register online.
John James serves as Congressman for Michigan’s 10th District in Macomb and Oakland Counties, fighting for working families. A West Point graduate, John served eight years in the U.S. Army as a Ranger-qualified aviation officer. Leading Apache helicopter platoons in Operation Iraqi Freedom, he logged over 750 combat hours, earning a Combat Action Badge and two Air Medals. His military service instilled a deep commitment to duty, discipline, and putting others first. Returning home, John led and grew his family’s business, increasing revenue and creating over 100 Michigan jobs. With a master’s in supply chain management from Penn State and an MBA from the University of Michigan, John brings real-world expertise to tackle Michigan’s economic challenges.
Additional sessions with the candidates are being scheduled. To be informed of confirmed dates when they are available, contact MMA’s Zach Willoughby at 517-487-8532 or willoughby@mimfg.org.