DETROIT — The Michigan Court of Appeals rejected Wednesday a lawsuit from Republican businessman Perry Johnson, who asked the judges to revive his campaign for governor by giving him a spot on the August primary ballot.
The unanimous decision from a three-judge panel marked a significant setback for the five GOP candidates for governor who were caught in an alleged wave of fraudulent petition signatures. Last week, the Board of State Canvassers deadlocked on whether the candidates had gathered the 15,000 required valid signatures, denying the five hopefuls spots on the ballot.
Three of the candidates — Johnson, former Detroit police Chief James Craig and financial adviser Michael Markey of Grand Haven — filed legal challenges, arguing the state Bureau of Elections needed to examine each petition signature individually to invalidate them.
