GOP candidate for Michigan governor arrested by FBI

The FBI arrested Michigan Republican gubernatorial candidate Ryan Kelley in his home Thursday morning. The bureau executed a search warrant of Kelley’s Allendale home, and they charged Kelley with four misdemeanor counts for his involvement with the January 6^th insurrection.

The charges include disruptive conduct, injuring public property and entering restricted space without permission.  The 40-year-old is awaiting a court hearing in Grand Rapids.

Kelley is one of five Republican candidates currently on the ticket for Michigan’s primary election. Far-right issues are at the core of his campaign such as eliminating mask and vaccine mandates and “restoring election integrity.” At the time of his arrest, he was leading the other candidates and polling at 19%, according to a poll released late last month. In May 2021, Kelley led a pro-gun rally at the state Capitol in Lansing in response to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s (D) COVID-19 pandemic response.

Kelley has worked as a real estate broker in Michigan since 2011 and briefly served as a member of Allendale’s township planning commission. In 2020, he began voicing his staunch opposition of statewide lockdowns following the COVID-19 outbreak. Michigan’s Primary election will be held on August 2, and the winner will face incumbent Democrat Gretchen Whitmer in the general election in November.