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GRAND RAPIDS, MI – The Grand Rapids Chamber PAC is not endorsing a candidate in a close congressional race between Republican John Gibbs and Democrat Hillary Scholten.
The political action committee, Business Friends of West Michigan, has historically supported Republicans in the 3rd Congressional District race, but this time it chose not to get behind both candidates. In addition, two other groups that previously supported the GOP candidate in the district, the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and the Detroit Regional Council, have also dropped out of the race.
Grand Rapids Chamber Vice President of Governmental Affairs Joshua Lunger declined to discuss the decision not to admit Gibbs or Scholten.
“We declined to comment further,” he said.
Gibbs and Scholten are running for the West Michigan congressional district on November 8. The newly drawn district consists of Kent, Ottawa and Muskegon counties and includes the cities of Grand Rapids, Muskegon and Grand Haven.
While political observers say the district leans heavily Democratic, Scholten and Gibbs appear locked in a tight race, and both candidates are working to appeal to moderate voters.
The race is being watched closely after Gibbs, who served in President Donald Trump’s administration, defeated Republican U.S. Rep. Peter Meyer in the August primary. Frustrated with the first-term congressman who chose to impeach Trump following the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol, Gibbs challenged Major, who was first elected in 2020.
Following the decision of the Chamber of Commerce, both candidates submitted their nomination papers.
“For the first time in history, the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce has not endorsed a Republican for a Grand Rapids congressional seat. That speaks volumes,” Scholten’s campaign said in a statement.
Hillary has wide and deep support from Grand Rapids leaders – from the mayor to leaders in business, health care and the public and private sectors. Her support across the district is a testament to her deep roots, connections and strong support from the local community.
Lunger said he couldn’t recall an instance when the House endorsed a Democrat for the 3rd Congressional District. But the Chamber of Commerce’s Political Action Committee has previously voted in favor of the contest.
For example, it did not endorse former U.S. Rep. Justin Amash or Democrat Cathy Albron in the November 2018 election, according to the chamber’s website.
In a statement, Gibbs spokeswoman Annemarie Schieber said Gibbs is “working hard to get the support of everyday people and businesses.”
“Hillary Scholten is typical of Nancy Pelosi’s tax and liberal spending whose job-killing, inflation-busting policies hurt West Michigan’s big businesses and workers,” the statement said. “John looks forward to working with the Chamber in the future to promote employment and business growth.”
The House’s vote of support shows there are concerns about both candidates, said Jesse Bolger, a longtime Republican and district resident who previously served as speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives.
“I don’t want to speak for them because I wasn’t part of the decision. “However, my takeaway from that is that those business groups are concerned about Hilary Scholten’s policies, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they were concerned about some of John Gibbs’ statements,” he said. “So my guess is that’s going to be the hardest part.”
In general, Scholten and other Democrats have been targeted for rising gas prices and inflation during President Joe Biden’s tenure. Scholten has also faced criticism for her work as an immigration attorney, and attack ads falsely claimed she “glorified” the rioters who destroyed downtown Grand Rapids following the death of George Floyd in May 2020.
Gibbs has faced scrutiny for echoing Trump’s claims that the 2020 election was rigged. He posted conspiracy theories on social media and made derogatory comments about Islam and Democrats.
And while a student at Stanford University, he founded a think tank that argued that the United States was suffering after women got the right to vote and that women should not be allowed in the workplace, according to CNN. He has since disavowed those comments, saying they “infuriated the left on campus.”
Gibbs was born and raised in Lansing. He never lived in West Michigan before moving to the area last fall to run for office.
“Not supporting is more important than supporting,” said Ali Walker, vice president of Detroit-based public relations firm Truscott Rossman.
“Knowing that they’re choosing not to endorse a candidate leads me to believe that neither candidate fully agrees on policy goals and values ​​and legislation and what they want to achieve in the next year,” she said. “When I see them take a stand to support or not support someone, that makes me, as a resident and a voter, really stop and look at the candidate’s policies.”
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