FILE - Protesters march on the MacArthur Bridge across the Detroit River during a rally in Detroit, Friday, June 5, 2020 over the death of George Floyd, a black man who was in police custody in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Kevin Rinke, a Republican businessman self-funding his campaign for governor of Michigan, called Asians “yellow” and said he is “not a fan” of Black Lives Matter.

Rinke, a first-timer to political elections and former owner of the Rinke Automotive Group, had a lot to say about race in an interview published by The Detroit Free Press on Tuesday. He made the “yellow” comment while saying he doesn’t believe in white privilege.

“I think [white privilege] is a divisive term and it’s looking to stir things up,” Rinke said. “I didn’t pick what color I came out. I was a baby. The kid next to me in the hospital could have been a Black baby, could have been a brown baby, could have been a yellow baby. We were all babies.”

He then said Black Lives Matter is “full of hate” and “full of division,” and that the movement doesn’t “[rise] above the pettiness that separates us.” 

Race is one of the big issues Rinke has focused on in his campaign. His website states that if elected, he will seek to “ban critical race theory in public schools, ending the practice of indoctrinating our children rather than educating them.”

Rinke previously faced lawsuits from former employees claiming he created racist and sexist work environments at his car dealerships, resulting in thousands of dollars in settlement fees. According to court records obtained by The Detroit News, former employees sued Rinke multiple times, saying they quit due to his offensive comments, such as calling Black staffers the n-word and remarking on one Black worker’s penis size.

Another female worker alleged that Rinke once asked her if she had a “matching bra and panties on” and that he said “women should not be allowed to work in public.” Her lawsuit also cited Rinke’s lewd behavior, such as making masturbation gestures during long phone calls and calling a baby “well hung” while looking at photos of newborn infant boys in front of employees.

The Michigan Democratic Party put out a statement last Wednesday criticizing Rinke for these actions, and for furthering false claims of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Though Rinke told FOX 17 that he doesn’t believe the election was stolen, he calls out “significant irregularities” in Michigan’s voting record. His website and intro ad also share his pledge to “audit the voter rolls” because of a “tainted election.”

Despite his fixation on unfair elections, Rinke has personally put in more money than any of the 12 other Republican contenders for governor, pledging last July to funnel at least $10 million into his campaign.

But according to a Trafalgar Group poll published last month, Rinke is tied for last place in the primary race at 2.3%. Rinkie is over 32 percentage points behind the current leader, former Detroit Police Chief James Craig (34.4%).