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
EducationNew York University School of Law — LL.M., Taxation (1994–1995)
Notable personal detailsMatthew S. DePerno is a Michigan attorney based in Kalamazoo County and the owner of DePerno Law Office, PLLC. He was the Republican nominee for Michigan attorney general in 2022, losing to incumbent Dana Nessel in the November 8, 2022 general election. DePerno’s legal work has included tax law and constitutional litigation, and he gained statewide attention after litigation connected to the 2020 election in Antrim County.
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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, not because of a single new personal development. Recent reports focus on the GOP’s new election-integrity push ahead of the 2026 midterms and the heavy fundraising now flowing into state attorney general races, especially in battleground states like Michigan. Other coverage centers on voting-law fights, including proof-of-citizenship proposals and mail-in ballot rules, which are part of the same political landscape.
Big money flows into state attorney general races as legal battles shape American politics
Trump’s Voter-Fraud Myths Fuel State-Level Crackdowns
Campaign support money grows along with profile of state attorneys general
RNC launches multimillion-dollar election integrity push in 17 states
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Endorsements
- Fundraising