Michigan Republicans divided over party’s future as campaigns struggle to secure donor support.

Infighting Threatens‍ Michigan⁣ Republicans’ Success in 2024 Election

Infighting ⁣within the Michigan Republican Party over‍ former President ​Donald Trump is​ causing a rift that could have serious consequences for their chances in the 2024 ⁢election. The party is divided ‍between those who ⁣support ​Trump’s claims ⁢of election fraud in 2020⁤ and those who want to move forward and ​secure victories in the state and federal legislatures. ⁢However, this division is hindering their ⁢ability to⁢ attract ⁤much-needed donors.

“It’s not going real well, ⁤and all you have to do ⁤is look at the facts,” said Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI). “The ability ⁣to raise money, we’ve got a lot of donors sitting⁣ on⁢ the sideline. That’s not an opinion. That’s a fact. It’s just a plain ​fact. We have to⁢ fix that.”

The party’s decline in Michigan ‌can be traced back ⁤to 2021 when​ new leaders emerged who ​promoted⁤ false election theories and only supported candidates who defended‌ Trump’s debunked claims. Some of these leaders include Matthew DePerno, Kristina Karamo, and⁢ former Michigan GOP co-chair Meshawn ‌Maddock.

Karamo,⁣ who is now the chairwoman of the ‌Michigan Republican Party,⁣ has⁢ deepened the divide within ⁤the party. Her refusal to concede her 2022 ‌election loss and her ⁤hard-line conservative agenda have resulted in severe​ cuts to donations. In fact, ⁢the party’s funds have dwindled since Karamo took over,⁤ with less than $150,000 in the bank as of June 30, according to Federal Election Commission records. This is a significant decrease compared to⁣ four years ago when the party had​ almost three times as much cash on hand.

To counter the lack of donations, veteran Michigan Republican ⁣legislators are redirecting funding to​ the state House Republican caucus in an effort to regain control of at least one chamber in 2024. Former‍ Michigan‌ Gov. Rick Snyder and some members of the DeVos⁢ family network ⁣have⁣ already made substantial donations to the Michigan House GOP caucus, outpacing the House Democratic caucus in fundraising.

This shift in funding indicates​ that Michigan Republicans are distancing ⁤themselves⁣ from the state party leaders, whose past defeats have put the GOP⁤ at a disadvantage for the upcoming election. Karamo and ⁣DePerno, who spread conspiracy ⁣theories about the 2020 ⁣election, focused‌ their 2022 campaigns ⁤on these claims. However,⁣ their nominations alienated key donors like Betsy DeVos, leading to a lack of financial support for the party.

In the 2022 ‍midterm elections, Karamo and⁤ DePerno lost, Republicans lost⁤ control of the state legislature, and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) was​ reelected by a wide margin. ​The party engaged in a blame game, with the state party blaming Tudor Dixon’s‍ unelectability,​ Dixon blaming state Republican leadership, and Maddock blaming donors for not⁢ supporting‍ their candidates.

A ⁢state party memo ‍analyzing the‍ 2022 outcome revealed that Republicans were consistently caught in ‍the power ⁢struggle between​ pro-Trump and anti-Trump factions, with Trump posing⁣ challenges ​on a statewide ballot.

Recent legal cases involving ​the party, including charges ​against individuals who falsely ⁤claimed ⁢Trump won the 2020 election, are unlikely to appeal to donors. This further complicates the ‍party’s efforts ‍to⁣ attract support.

“Tell me how that helps.⁣ Tell me how that helps‍ get the swing voter,” McClain emphasized. “Voters don’t care about the infighting. The ‌swing voter‌ wants to know, how are your policies going to help​ me have a ​better life⁣ for my family?”