Fans hail Trump-backed Michigan gubernatorial candidate for her 'common sense' attitude but say they're glad her experienced running mate will be around if she wins

• Michigan GOP gubernatorial hopeful Tudor Dixon is running to unseat incumbent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

• The crucial midterms race is Dixon's inaugural bid for elected office.

• Dixon's running mate, Shane Hernandez, is a former Michigan state representative.

GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan — Many of the supporters who flocked to hear what Michigan Republican gubernatorial hopeful Tudor Dixon had to say as she closed out her pre-election day sprint across the state told Insider they love how down to earth she is.

Jazmine Early, a Macomb County resident who said she's been involved in local politics for more than a decade, called the first-time candidate vying to unseat incumbent Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, "a simple person" that very much reminds her of herself.

"You see her in the street and it's nobody. That is what I am, nobody," Early said Sunday night at a GOP rally in suburban Detroit.

When asked if she had any concerns about a "nobody" having to try and suddenly wrap their heads around another global pandemic or a state-specific crisis, Early said Dixon's ace-in-the-hole is running mate and former Michigan state representative, Shane Hernandez.

"He has the knowledge. He knows how to handle the government. And he can teach her how to handle it," Early said of Hernandez, adding, "I told him the reason I 100% joined Tudor was you."

Katrina Whetsel, a Macomb County resident and local GOP official, agreed wholeheartedly with Early.

"Am I worried? No, not at all," Whetsel said of her faith in Dixon's ability to lead. "She's one of us."

Giulio Russo, a Macomb County resident, said Dixon seemed to have the right instincts, so he'd be willing to cut her a break if she didn't necessarily hit the ground running.

"You can't expect these people to come into office being geniuses about how to run things," he told Insider at the Sunday night rally. "But if you have common sense, there's no reason why you can't do it."

If anything, Russo said he found Dixon's outsider status appealing and drew parallels to the embattled former President Donald Trump.

"He wasn't a politician, but he's got common sense. And he tries to control everything with common sense," Russo said.

Like all politicians, Russo said Dixon could always lean on advisors as needed. "She's gonna have smart people around her," he predicted.

Laura Davidson, a Kent County resident, said she was sure Dixon was in good company.

"They're surrounding themselves with people that are like-minded and have experience," Davidson said Monday night at Dixon's election eve rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Moreover, Davidson said she expected that Dixon would take some cues from "some of those other governors that are running their states like we want to be run."

Davidson didn't elaborate on which other GOP-run states she thought Dixon should emulate, but some of the folks who've been getting a lot of attention lately include Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

A pair of self-described independent voters said the governor they desperately hope Dixon doesn't try to model herself after is Whitmer.

"After the last two years, we're looking for a change," John and Camile, a Macomb County couple who declined to give their last names, told Insider of why they planned to vote Republican on Tuesday.

"Can't do any worse than what's already happening," John added.

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