Ex-chief Craig delivers first political speech, says he voted for Trump
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2021/07/06/ex-chief-craig-delivers-first-political-speech-says-he-voted-trump/7863174002/

Jackson  Former Detroit Police Chief James Craig urged Michigan voters on Tuesday to declare "independence" from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2022, but stopped short of announcing his candidacy for governor during his first political speech.

Some of the experiences, Craig said, included witnessing cyclical poverty in minority communities that he said was exacerbated by government handouts as well as a lack of support for police from Democratic politicians.

The 65-year-old Detroiter called for unity within the party and emphasized his support for police and military, gun rights, anti-abortion policies, education choice and self-reliance.

"What I can't respect is a victimhood mentality and that's the mentality being pushed by today's Democratic Party," he said.

After criticizing Democratic U.S. Reps. Maxine Waters of California and Rashida Tlaib of Detroit, with whom he's clashed over policing policy, Craig also attacked Whitmer's response to the pandemic.

Waters was a U.S. House member when Craig was a police officer in Los Angeles. In a meeting with a Black officers' association after the Rodney King beating in 1991, Waters made "vile remarks" and questioned "how we could work for the LAPD as African Americans," Craig said.

Craig said his transition to the Republican Party came full circle while working as a police chief in Portland, Maine, where he had the responsibility to approve concealed pistol licenses. His reflections on the importance of gun rights at that time eventually led to more public stances on the issue, he said.

"I was committed to personally remaining non-political in my public role in keeping communities safe as police chief," he said. "Privately, I found that my life experiences were leading me to vote Republican, including for President Trump in both elections."

True but he is for an AWB and mag limits, etc.

Bummer, I had had high hopes for him.

May not be perfect but way better than what we have now.

Did he claim to have an awakening about this? I know he definitely held this position at one point (which to be fair means it’s still in the back of his mind) but I’m pretty sure he’s changed his public stance.

I will say also I have spoke with Ryan Kelley on a few occasions and he's got his head in the right place. I just don't see him garnering enough support in densely populated areas like Craig could.

"Craig said his transition to the Republican Party came full circle while working as a police chief in Portland, Maine, where he had the responsibility to approve concealed pistol licenses. His reflections on the importance of gun rights at that time eventually led to more public stances on the issue, he said."

Although I don't know when the AWB support happened in relation to the quote above.

I’m not sure. His approach of telling the people of Detroit to arm themselves when he came in as chief was a pretty good take too. He’s not perfect but I definitely don’t think he’s anti 2A.

Anybody can claim they voted for (fill in the blank). Trump doesn't belong to any political party, he simply ran as a Republican. As a lifelong financial supporter of some of the most foul members of the other party his conversion seems hollow to me.

His main attraction was his big FU attitude when dealing with the Democrats. That unlocked a sea of public resentment and animosity that had been on slow boil for decades. Had it been used in a constructive way big things might have happened.

I will vote for the Chief if the Republican runoff places him as our candidate. The history of the Detroit Police Department not withstanding. Always remember, we don't get to pick our candidates, we get to pick from the candidates offered.

I don't know but I hope that was an "old" opinion.

Well when he came into Detroit he advised people to arm themselves for protection. I think that was an old opinion of his. I've heard him talk about his time in LA changing his feelings about guns.

And he took a pretty good proactive approach to deter "rioting" in Detroit.

I'm not 100% in his corner yet but I'm leaning towards him being my primary vote.

Guys, none of this means anything if we don't go to our cities, villages, and townships and tell them to get rid of their legacy voting machines.

With Detroit rapidly continuing It’s downward spiral since he left, I see him getting a ton of support from the Detroit area.

I’ve registered to be a precinct delegate. I’ll be on our primary ballot next year. I would recommend everyone looking into this. We have to also make sure the majority of the good for nothing Republicans in our state that sat back and watched Whitmer do her thing don’t make the next ballot.

After the registration period to get on the ballot is over, get the list from the clerks office of who has submitted their name for precinct delegate.

Most of the time there are fewer people running than slots open.

If you're in a contested election, print some flyers and go knock on a few doors.  You can get the list of who voted in the last primary election from your town clerk.  Start early, a lot of people vote absentee and get their ballots weeks before election day.

Thank you, that’s absolutely my plan.

I’m a cop from Cincinnati. I am also “retired” senior leadership of Ohioans for Concealed Carry and Buckeye Firearms Association. Chief Craig was the boss in Cincinnati. He took us from a decade behind everyone, to one of the best departments in the country. It’s been almost a decade since he left, and his name is still spoken with reverence. Detroit PD used to be the butt of jokes in the national PD discussions. It’s now considered to be a damn good department.

Chief Craig is a transformational leader. Generations come and go without a man like him. To this day, I would follow him anywhere.

Chief James Craig is pro gun. It’s been an evolution of opinion for him, but the man learns from his mistakes and follows the evidence.

Yeah, I know I’m an Ohioan and my opinion doesn’t matter. I’ll just leave you with this. I married into a Mecosta County family. Michigan matters to me, and I’ll be moving up as soon as I retire.

Michigan feels like home to me, I’ll forever love Cincinnati, but my place is Michigan.

God Bless James Craig.

If that's not a ringing endorsement, I don't know what is!

Thanks.........that is good news!

Thanks, that's good to hear from someone who knew him elsewhere.

Thanks AT7 for the clarity, and for confirming what we really want to believe about James Craig