Michigan Republican Attorney General nominee?
$8.3K
AUG 5, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleAttorney
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyTrump-aligned Republican
GenderMale
LocationMichigan
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BackgroundAttorney
EducationUniversity of Detroit Mercy School of Law (J.D., 1991–1994)
Notable personal detailsMatthew S. DePerno is a Michigan attorney and the owner of DePerno Law Office, PLLC, based in the Kalamazoo/Portage area. He was the Republican nominee for Michigan Attorney General in 2022. His legal education includes a J.D. from University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and an LL.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law.
SourcesShowHide
Positions
Economy & Taxes
Supports substantial tax-code reductions and simplification, including a flat tax or single-rate national sales tax, elimination or reduction of corporate and capital-gains taxes, and a balanced-budget amendment requiring a supermajority to raise taxes.
Healthcare
The candidate opposes COVID-19 public-health mandates (masks and vaccines) and has said businesses and schools should not be closed during the pandemic. He has also expressed opposition to emergency contraceptives such as Plan B and suggested restricting their availability. His statements emphasize limiting government public-health mandates and restricting certain reproductive-health products.
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Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Matt DePerno is strongly opposed to abortion rights, has said he was "thrilled" by the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, supports restrictive laws including heartbeat-style bans and the 1931 Michigan statute, and has advocated banning emergency contraception such as Plan B. He has expressed opposition to exceptions for rape, incest, and (according to some reporting) life-of-the-mother exceptions.
Climate & Energy
The candidate has pledged to dismiss state litigation aimed at decommissioning the Line 5 oil pipeline and has signaled support for keeping that fossil-fuel infrastructure operational, positioning himself against aggressive legal action to shut down the pipeline. His stated priorities favor maintaining energy supplies tied to Line 5 rather than pursuing enforcement actions to remove the pipeline.
Public Safety & Guns
Supports expansive gun rights including constitutional carry and opposes registration and other gun-owner regulations. Has publicly opposed common‑sense gun safety laws and framed defending the Second Amendment as a campaign priority. Positions include opposing red flag-style measures and other new firearm restrictions.
News
Matt DePerno is being mentioned mainly in the context of broader Republican election and attorney general politics ahead of the 2026 midterms. Recent reports focus on the GOP’s multimillion-dollar election integrity push in battleground states like Michigan, along with heavy fundraising in state attorney general races. There is no clear new personal development about DePerno in the provided summaries.
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New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Endorsements
- Fundraising