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?”
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Now loading...