LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – Republican gubernatorial nominee John James announced Wednesday that he has chosen state Rep. Jay DeBoyer of Clay Township as his running mate for lieutenant governor.
DeBoyer is a second-term state representative serving parts of St. Clair and Macomb counties and chairs the House Oversight Committee. Before joining the Legislature, he spent 12 years as St. Clair County Clerk and Register of Deeds, where he oversaw local elections, and previously served in local government in Clay Township. He is also a small business owner.
James announced the pick on social media, saying DeBoyer’s background made him the right choice for the ticket.
“I am choosing Jay DeBoyer as my running mate because he has run a business, served in local government, and overseen elections,” James wrote. “He knows how to work with both parties in the Legislature to get things done.”
James said he expects DeBoyer to help lead efforts against government mismanagement if the ticket wins in November.
“He will lead the fight against corruption, fraud, waste, and abuse, protecting core services while fixing what’s broken,” James wrote.
DeBoyer said he was honored to join the ticket ahead of the general election.
“With freedom on the ballot and the future of our state at stake, I’m humbled and honored to join John James as his pick for Lieutenant Governor,” DeBoyer said. “Michiganders face a clear choice between socialism and a bold new direction rooted in freedom, opportunity, and prosperity.”
The pick drew quick praise from fellow Republicans, including Congresswoman Lisa McClain, who represents Michigan’s 9th Congressional District alongside DeBoyer.
“John James and Jay DeBoyer will bring common sense back to Lansing, put an end to the crazy, and fight to put more money back in the pockets of hardworking Michiganders,” McClain said.
But at least one Democratic colleague of DeBoyer’s in the House says the pick sends the wrong message. State Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou, D-East Lansing, has served alongside DeBoyer on the House Elections Committee and currently sits on his Oversight Committee.
“I have not seen Representative DeBoyer to be someone who’s willing to work on real solutions for a lot of the problems that we face in Michigan,” Tsernoglou said. “He has not done a lot of reaching across the aisle or working really just working towards solutions.”
Tsernoglou said DeBoyer’s leadership of the Oversight Committee has differed sharply from her experience chairing the Elections Committee, where she said she allowed DeBoyer to raise questions freely as a member.
“This term, I served on his oversight committee. However, I was really not allowed to ask questions,” she said. “I was not called on, really not given much of an opportunity to engage in the discussions that were happening in that particular committee.”
Tsernoglou said she was later removed from the Oversight Committee, a decision she said followed her request that DeBoyer and House Speaker Matt Hall investigate reports involving Interlochen Center for the Arts.
Tsernoglou also pointed to DeBoyer’s committee scrutiny of Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s office. Benson is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor and has not yet announced her own running mate.
“He’s demonstrated the willingness to continuously attack Secretary Benson based on really a lot of false allegations and misinformation,” she said.
Benson has until her party’s nominating convention later this month to select a running mate. Tsernoglou named state Sens. Sarah Anthony and Winnie Brinks, and former Senator Jim Ananich, as candidates she believes would be strong picks for the Democratic ticket.
James and DeBoyer are scheduled to appear together Thursday evening at the Macomb County Republican Convention in Sterling Heights. WZMQ 19 News reached out to the James campaign for comment from James or DeBoyer and has not yet received a response. This story will be updated if the campaign responds.
