Four Michigan Republican gubernatorial candidates will participate in a manufacturing forum and debate hosted by the Oakland County Republican Party on Thursday night.\u00a0<\/p>\n
CBS News Detroit is streaming live coverage of the debate, beginning at 7 p.m. ET.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Visioneering, an Auburn Hills-based manufacturer specializing in the aerospace, defense and space industries, is the site of the debate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Four Republican candidates have confirmed their participation in Thursday’s debate: Michigan Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt, businessman Perry Johnson, former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox and longtime pastor Ralph Rebandt. U.S. Rep. John James has been invited to participate but has not confirmed his attendance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
How to watch Oakland County Republican Party gubernatorial debateWhat: Oakland County Republican Party gubernatorial debateDate: Thursday, April 30, 2026Time: 7 p.m. ETOnline stream: Live on the player above and on your\u00a0mobile or streaming device<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Thursday’s debate will be moderated by WWJ Newsradio 950 anchor Jackie Paige, with panelists including Charlie LeDuff of the Michigan Enjoyer, Kaitlyn Buss of the Detroit News, and Charlie Langton from FOX 2.<\/p>\n Who are the candidates?<\/p>\n Perry Johnson, Mike Cox, Ralph Rebandt and Aric Nesbitt are scheduled to participate in Thursday’s debate.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mike Cox<\/p>\n Former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox launched his campaign in April 2025.<\/a>\u00a0Cox won two terms as Michigan attorney general in 2002 and 2006.<\/p>\n Cox ran for governor in 2010, but lost in the Republican primary. After leaving office, he built a private law practice.\u00a0 <\/p>\n Perry Johnson<\/p>\n Businessman Perry Johnson\u00a0announced his gubernatorial campaign in January 2026<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Johnson ran in 2022<\/a>\u00a0for governor,\u00a0but was disqualified<\/a>\u00a0over invalid petition signatures. He was also a\u00a02024 presidential candidate<\/a>, but failed to qualify for the GOP presidential debate series.<\/p>\n Aric Nesbitt<\/p>\n Michigan Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt\u00a0announced his campaign for governor in January 2025<\/a>, becoming the first Republican to launch his candidacy. Nesbitt previously served in the Michigan House of Representatives before becoming a senator. <\/p>\n Ralph Rebandt<\/p>\n Longtime pastor Ralph Rebandt previously ran for governor in 2022, but lost in the Republican primary. Rebandt served as the senior pastor of Oakland Hills Community Church in Farmington Hills and as a chaplain of the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police and the International Association of Chiefs of Police, as well as several local police agencies.\u00a0<\/p>\n DeJanay Booth-Singleton<\/a><\/p>\n contributed to this report.\n <\/p>\n