John James voted to cut services and raise costs on Michiganders. He voted to kick more than 424,000 Michiganders off their health insurance, slash Medicare by $500 billion, and make it harder for Michigan families to buy food. John James cast the deciding vote to protect Trump’s tariffs, crushing small businesses and raising grocery prices. John James stood by while Trump fired Michigan workers and gutted Social Security. John James voted to repeal clean energy tax credits that supported Michigan jobs. James also failed farmers and failed to pass year-round E15 in Congress, voting for a council instead of actually helping Michigan farmers. He also threatened reproductive freedoms with his extreme anti-abortion agenda. Even after voting against releasing the Epstein files, he only supported their release once Trump approved it. John James campaigned on ethics reform while facing ethics complaints for allegedly using official resources to benefit his campaign and paying firms tied to alleged illegal coordination between Trump’s campaign and NRA advertising operations. James backed Trump’s war with Iran even as rising gas, grocery, fertilizer, and diesel costs squeezed Michigan families, farmers, and businesses across the state
In 2025, John James voted for Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill," which was estimated to kick 17 million Americans off their health insurance, including nearly 12 million Americans who rely on Medicaid. More than 424,000 Michiganders could lose their health insurance and hundreds of rural hospitals could close, including at least three hospitals in Michigan as a result of John James’ vote.
John James opposed the Affordable Care Act and called the health care law a “monstrosity that hurts businesses and hurts the middle class.” James had also called the Affordable Care Act a “fiscal disaster” and a “nightmare for consumers,” despite more than 531,000 Michiganders enrolling in Affordable Care Act Marketplace health insurance plans.
By 2034, 237,708 Medicaid recipients in Michigan were expected to lose their coverage due to John James’ support for Trump’s tax bill.
In January 2026, John James voted against extending the Affordable Care Act subsidies for three years, despite the Citizens Research Council of Michigan warning that the expired enhanced subsidies would increase premium costs by about 70%, or more than $800 annually, during the ACA’s 2026 open enrollment period. More than 350,000 Michiganders relied on ACA subsidies to afford health insurance plans. In December 2025, James voted for Republicans’ health care bill which would weaken protections for people with pre-existing conditions and allowed ACA tax credits to expire. James did not sign multiple discharge positions aimed at extending premium ACA tax credits. James’ and Republicans’ inaction over ACA subsidies created a “subsidy cliff” whereby households could lose all eligibility for assistance if they earn even $1 more than a specified income threshold.
Message: John James voted to rip away health care from hundreds of thousands of Michiganders to fund tax cuts for the wealthy.
Message: John James voted to make massive cuts to health care services seniors rely on.
Message: John James was the deciding vote to crush Michigan small businesses and ensure Michiganders will pay more for groceries.
Message: John James voted to make food more expensive for Michigan.
Message: While Social Security lines grew and Michigan workers were laid off, John James did nothing to help them.
Message: John James voted to kill job opportunities for Michigan to give tax cuts to billionaires.
Message: John James failed Michigan farmers and failed to pass year-round E15 in Congress, voting for a council instead of helping farmers.
Message: John James threatened the reproductive freedoms of Michiganders.
Message: Despite previously voting against releasing the Epstein files, John James ultimately voted for the release of the Epstein files only because Trump approved of the release.
Message: John James repeatedly faced ethics complaints for abusing his office and hiding financial dealings.
John James supported Trump’s war with Iran and repeatedly praised Trump’s military actions against Iran. James defended the U.S. air strikes on Iran, declared “America’s worth fighting for,” and later admitted that gas prices above $4 per gallon “hurts everybody around the state, around the country.” Despite acknowledging those concerns, James doubled down on his support for Trump’s war with Iran and later voted against resolutions directing the president to end U.S. military involvement in Iran without congressional authorization.
Trump’s war with Iran triggered an increase in gas prices for Michiganders, with prices rising more than 61 percent after the conflict started. The war also drove up fuel and fertilizer costs for Michigan farmers, increasing financial pressure during planting season and threatening farm profitability.
Experts also warned the Iran war could increase grocery prices, reduce crop yields, and further strain the food supply chain. Independent grocery store owners warned rising fuel surcharges and wholesale prices increased financial pressure during the Iran war.
Message: John James backed Trump’s war with Iran even as it drove up gas and fertilizer prices across Michigan and squeezed Michigan farmers and families.