'No justice, no peace': Protesters crowd podium as James Craig launches run for governor

Former Detroit police chief James Craig was at least temporarily unable to formally announce his bid for governor Tuesday morning as protesters swarmed his Belle Isle event. 

Chanting "Black Lives Matter" and "No justice, no peace, James Craig is still police," about 50 people engulfed the political newcomer as he tried to speak after delaying his speech by about 20 minutes. After several attempts to speak, Craig walked away, surrounded by supporters who pushed back against the protesters pressing against Craig and his team. 

Moments after Craig sped away in a black SUV, his spokesman said he'd be back at some point. But protesters shouted, jeered and flipped the bird as Craig drove off. 

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The event echoed protests from last summer, when activists all over the country took to the streets to protest the police killing George Floyd in Minneapolis and to advocate for criminal justice reform in general. 

In theory, similar protests could erupt for in the weeks and months ahead, even as Craig likely emerges as the frontrunner in a crowded GOP race to see who, if anyone, can defeat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer next year. 

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In the lead up to the announcement, Craig has touted his law enforcement experience as a key component of his platform. He has touted his support for the rights of gun owners — in 2013 he said more armed citizens would drive down Detroit's crime rate — and the way his department responded to Black Lives Matter protests last summer. 

He's vaccinated against COVID-19 and has publicly advocated for wearing masks, but he also said inoculation is a personal choice and criticized state pandemic regulations. 

However, Craig has largely tried to avoid wading too deeply into some of the biggest questions still percolating in Republican politics: Does he believe and support misinformation spread by former President Donald Trump and others that the 2020 election was rigged or stolen? 

Asked after an event in August whether he believes Trump's claims, Craig said, "If there was evidence, if there was a proper investigation that the election was stolen," before trailing off and stating, "I don't have that information." 

Craig served as chief of police in Detroit for about eight years before retiring in the summer. A Detroit native, he spent decades working as an officer in Los Angeles before becoming the chief of police in Portland, Maine, in 2009. He moved on in 2011, leading the Cincinnati Police Department before coming to Detroit. 

In recent years, Craig garnered attention from conservatives through his multiple appearances on Fox News and similar broadcasts. He regularly appears on Tucker Carlson's controversial Fox show, where he told the host he was running for governor during a July 21 appearance. 

He tried to walk that back slightly in a radio interview the following day, arguing he was still weighing the decision. He'd also formed what he called an "exploratory committee" to raise money before making a formal announcement; there's no apparatus for such an entity in Michigan, although Rick Snyder and others have also used the phrase before launching their own political bids. 

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Typically, incumbents have an advantage in any political race. However, very early polling shows Craig and Whitmer running neck and neck: results of a late-August survey from EPIC-MRA commissioned by the Free Press found 45% of likely Michigan voters would vote for Whitmer and 44% would choose Craig.

The majority did not recognize Craig's name, though, one of several hurdles he'll need to overcome if he wants to successfully challenge Whitmer. 

In an effort to introduce himself to voters, Craig is slated to appear in Flint and Grand Rapids later Tuesday. He'll head up north after that, speaking in Traverse City on Wednesday. On Thursday he'll attend events in Mackinaw City before heading to the Upper Peninsula to meet people in  Newberry Township, Marquette and Escanaba.

Fundraising is another key component of name recognition, but Craig and every other GOP contender start at a substantial disadvantage compared with the governor.: Whitmer already has more than $10 million in the bank. 

Other declared GOP candidates who've filed paperwork with the state include Grand Rapids businessman and U.S. Army veteran Austin Chenge, conservative commentator Tudor Dixon, Ottawa County real estate agent Ryan Kelley, Kalamazoo chiropractor Garrett Soldano, Oakland County pastor Ralph Rebandt, and Livingston County evangelist and substitute teacher Bob Scott. 

Most of these candidates have garnered attention from and based at least portions of their platforms on blasting pandemic orders issued by the Whitmer administration.

Contact Dave Boucher at dboucher@freepress.com or 313-938-4591. Follow him on Twitter @Dave_Boucher1.