- Tudor Dixon is a GOP gubernatorial candidate in Michigan recently backed by former President Donald Trump.
- Dixon was formerly a conservative media personality with America's Voice News, an online news program.
- If elected, the mother of four has a pro-life stance and wants to end COVID-19 mask mandates.
Tudor Dixon is running as the Republican gubernatorial candidate in Michigan and was recently endorsed by former President Donald Trump — an endorsement that has helped get her name into the spotlight.
Trump said when he met Dixon, "she was not well known, but I could tell she had something very special."
Dixon, 45, was a media personality with America's Voice News, a conservative online news program. Prior to that, she founded a "pro-America, pro-Constitution" morning news program for grade school students called Lumen News that was broadcast on Facebook, according to her website.
Before working in media, Dixon spent nearly a decade in the steel industry working as a sales manager at Michigan Steel Inc, Cast Steel Technology, and Finkl Steel.
Dixon also has a few acting credits according to her IMDB page. In 2009, she played a character who was eaten by zombies in a horror movie called "Buddy BeBop vs. The Living Dead." A year later, she had a role in "Transitions: The Series," a vampire web series with a trailer that was noticed by some Twitter users.
Despite the endorsement from Trump, The Hill reported Dixon disagrees with former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos' stance on his involvement in the Jan 6. insurrection.
DeVos resigned from the Trump administration, citing the former president's involvement in the Capitol riots.
"The secretary knows that she and I differ on that subject. I want to make sure that political speech is always protected because that could open a can of worms for anybody on both sides of the party. But the secretary knows that I disagree with her on that point," Dixon said during an interview with Bret Baier on Fox News.
The Detroit Free Press reported that since January, Dixon fundraised close to $1.7 million. The news organization added that Dick and Betsy DeVos and eight other Michigan residents with the same last name each gave Dixon $7,150, the maximum campaign donation, for a total of $71,500.
Two of Dixon's opponents dropped out of the race and were disqualified for collecting allegedly fraudulent petition signatures.
According to NBC, as of May, Dixon had been polling low and struggling to raise money. Now, she's four points ahead of her Republican opponents; businessman Kevin Rinke, chiropractor Garrett Soldano, real estate broker Ryan Kelley, and pastor Ralph Rebandt.
Andy Surabian, a national GOP strategist, told NBC News that Dixon has been the "grassroots candidate throughout this entire race."
"She wasn't viewed as a top-tier candidate for most of the race, and the establishment mocked her campaign, but her raw natural talent won out and now she's the front-runner," Surabian said.
If elected, the mom-of-four wants to end COVID-19 mask mandates, phase out personal income tax in the state, and replace diversity, equity, and inclusion consultants in public schools with armed personnel. Dixon is also a staunch believer in pro-life policies, according to her campaign website.
The Daily Beast reported that Dixon's response to a proposed ballot referendum that would guarantee accessible abortion in Michigan was that it would create "a safe haven for any type of predator out there."
"If you're a predator there's nothing you like more than abortion. And if you can get a girl an abortion without her parents knowing, you can keep hurting her," Dixon said.
If she wins the Republican primary on Tuesday, she will face incumbent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in November. Newsweek reported that recent polls suggest Whitmer is well-positioned to win again, but that the race will be tight.
Dixon's campaign did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.