What happened at Michigan’s GOP convention — and why it matters

The convention heavily reflected Donald Trump’s influence on the Republican Party in Michigan.

GOP Convention April 2022 DePerno Ryan Kelley Tom Leonard

Michigan GOP Convention, April 2022.

The state’s Republican Party held its convention in Grand Rapids on Saturday. Although it’s not yet official, the convention all but locks in which candidates the GOP will nominate in November for attorney general, secretary of state, and other statewide positions.

Heading into the weekend, the convention was seen as a key test of former president Donald Trump’s hold on Republican politics in Michigan. Would the party endorse its “establishment” candidates or would put its support behind far-right candidates?

“Trump Republicans are now the Republican establishment in Michigan.” — Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network’s senior state capitol correspondent.


Listen: How the Michigan’s Republican party is changing.

 


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Rick Pluta is Michigan Public Radio Network’s senior state capitol correspondent.

He says state Republicans are supporting Trump-backed candidates, and that many more traditional Republican operatives felt like their party “had been pulled out from under them.”

“Trump Republicans are now the Republican establishment in Michigan,” says Pluta.

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