Trump endorses freshman Rep. McClain for reelection to Congress

Washington — Former President Donald Trump endorsed freshman U.S. Rep. Lisa McClain on Monday, saying she is "doing a wonderful job."

It is Trump's 15th endorsement in Michigan and only the second incumbent he's backed in the state this election cycle.

McClain of Bruce Township is running for a second term in a safe Republican seat representing Michigan's Thumb and northern Macomb County in the new 9th District. One Democrat so far, Brian Jaye, has filed to run as a challenger. 

"A tremendous advocate of our America First agenda, Lisa is fighting to protect your rights against Unconstitutional Mandates and to prevent Joe Biden and Gretchen Whitmer from shutting down 'Line 5,'" Trump said in a statement, referring to the dispute over the dual pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac.

McClain was one of the three Michigan Republican lawmakers who objected Jan. 6 to the electoral tallies that made President Joe Biden’s victory official, along with U.S. Reps. Jack Bergman of Watersmeet and Tim Walberg of Tipton. 

Trump continues to make unproven claims that widespread fraud led to his loss. Biden won Michigan's 2020 presidential election by 154,000 votes or 3 percentage points over Trump.

McClain, however, wouldn't say Biden won the state when asked that on WDIV Local 4's Flashpoint last month, saying "there's a lot of doubts" and calling for a review of the election. 

"There were a lot of irregularities. I think there were a lot of inconsistencies," she said.

McClain, a former businesswoman, succeeded retiring U.S. Rep. Paul Mitchell of Dryden, who died last year. She said she was "thrilled" to get Trump's endorsement again. 

"During my first term in office, I've been fighting passionately against the Democrats' horrific policies in Washington," she said in a statement. "Our border crisis is a national security nightmare, inflation is the highest it's been in 20 years and our freedoms are in jeopardy like never before due to unconstitutional vaccine mandates."

McClain is first GOP woman from Michigan to serve in Congress since 2016 when then-U.S. Rep. Candice Miller of Harrison Township retired.

Like Trump, she ran for office as a conservative outsider who had never held political office before. McClain defeated Democrat Kimberly Bizon 66% to 34% in 2020. 

mburke@detroitnews.com 

Staff writer Craig Mauger contributed.