Michigan Republican Party

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The Michigan Republican Party is the state affiliate of the national Republican Party in Michigan, United States, sometimes referred to as MIGOP.

Ronna Romney McDaniel was the chairwoman of the party, having been elected in 2015 by delegates to the Republican State Convention, in 2017, McDaniel became Republican National Committee Chairwoman, serving until 2024.[1] The Michigan Republican Party hosts a biennial political conference at the Mackinac Island Grand Hotel called the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference. The event features notable national Republicans, senators, governors, and presidential candidates.[2]

Even though the Michigan Republican Party has historically been characterized by conservatism, the party took a hard-right turn after Donald Trump won the presidency in 2016.[3][4][5][6] After the 2020 United States elections, the Michigan Republican Party pushed false claims of fraud and sought to overturn the election results.[7][8][9] A months-long Republican investigation found there was no evidence of widespread fraud and recommended for the attorney general to investigate some who had made such allegations for personal gain.[10]

History

Republicans have been elected to the governorship of Michigan in 27 of 48 gubernatorial elections. The first was Kingsley S. Bingham in 1855, and the most recent is Rick Snyder, who was elected in 2010, and then re-elected in 2014.

After President Richard Nixon resigned due to the Watergate scandal, Vice President Gerald Ford became the 38th President of the United States. Ford grew up in Grand Rapids and served as a U.S. Representative from Michigan from 1949 to 1973.

Following the 2016 election and Reince Priebus' selection to be White House Chief of Staff, Michigan Republican Party Chairman Ronna Romney McDaniel became Chairwoman of the Republican National Committee. Then-President-elect Trump recommended McDaniel in December 2016 to replace Priebus.[11] She was officially elected as RNC chair on January 19, 2017, becoming the second woman to hold the post in RNC history, after Mary Louise Smith.[1]

After Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election in Michigan and Donald Trump refused to concede, the Michigan Republican Party pushed false claims of fraud and sought to overturn the election results.[7][8][9] In January 2021, the Michigan Republican Party sought to replace GOP member Aaron Van Langevelde on the Michigan Board of Canvassers; he had previously voted to certify the Michigan election results in favor of Biden.[12] One of the candidates that the Michigan Republican Party sought to nominate to that position was Linda Lee Tarver, who had been involved in efforts to overturn the election results.[12]

According to the Associated Press, since Trump's defeat in the 2020 presidential election and Michigan swinging back to the Democrats, the Michigan GOP have taken a hard right-wing turn. The shift has altered the once moderate character of the state GOP and has instead embraced more right-wing elements.[13] In 2021, the executive director of the Michigan GOP resigned after he declined to say that the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump; delegates in the Michigan GOP had called for him to be fired for his remarks.[14] Increasing internal divisions within the Michigan Republican Party led to a violent physical brawl at a state committee meeting in 2023, during which one party activist allegedly kicked a committee member in the groin and broke his rib.[15]

Current elected Republicans in Michigan

President Gerald Ford (1974–1977)

Members of Congress

U.S. Senate

  • None

Both of Michigan's U.S. Senate seats have been held by Democrats since 2001. Spencer Abraham was the last Republican to represent Michigan in the U.S. Senate. First elected in 1994, Abraham lost re-election in 2000 to Democrat Debbie Stabenow.

U.S. House of Representatives

Out of the 13 seats Michigan is apportioned in the U.S. House of Representatives, 7 are held by Republicans:

DistrictMemberPhoto
1stJack Bergman
2ndJohn Moolenaar
4thBill Huizenga
5thTim Walberg
7thTom Barrett
9thLisa McClain
10thJohn James

Statewide

  • None

Michigan has not elected any GOP candidates to statewide office since 2014, when Rick Snyder, Brian Calley, Bill Schuette, and Ruth Johnson were re-elected as governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and secretary of state, respectively. In 2018, term limits prevented all four politicians from seeking third terms. Schuette ran as the Republican nominee in the 2018 gubernatorial election with Lisa Posthumus Lyons as his running mate and was subsequently defeated by Democratic challenger Gretchen Whitmer and running mate Garlin Gilchrist while Tom Leonard and Mary Treder Lang ran as the Republican nominees for Attorney General and Secretary of State and were subsequently defeated by Democratic challengers Dana Nessel and Jocelyn Benson.

Michigan Legislature

United States cabinet members from Michigan who served under a Republican president

The following are in order of presidential succession.

Charles Wilson, nicknamed "Engine Charlie", was formerly CEO of GM.
NameCabinet positionYears servedPresident(s) served under
Charles Erwin WilsonSecretary of Defense1953–1957Dwight D. Eisenhower
Zachariah ChandlerSecretary of the Interior1875–1877Ulysses S. Grant
Roy D. ChapinSecretary of Commerce1932–1933Herbert Hoover
Frederick H. MuellerSecretary of Commerce1959–1961Dwight D. Eisenhower
George W. RomneySecretary of Housing and Urban Development1969–1973Richard Nixon
David StockmanDirector of Office of Management and Budget1981–1985Ronald Reagan
Spencer AbrahamSecretary of Energy2001–2005George W. Bush
Betsy DeVosSecretary of Education2017–2021Donald Trump
Russell A. AlgerSecretary of War (obsolete)1897–1899William McKinley
Truman Handy NewberrySecretary of the Navy (obsolete)1908–1909Theodore Roosevelt
Edwin DenbySecretary of the Navy (obsolete)1921–1924Warren G. Harding
Calvin Coolidge
Arthur SummerfieldPostmaster General (obsolete)1953–1961Dwight D. Eisenhower
Ben CarsonSecretary of Housing & Urban Development2017–2021Donald Trump

Michigan Republican State Committee

The Michigan Republican State Committee is the state central committee of the Michigan Republican Party. It is composed of seven members from each of Michigan's Congressional district Republican committees, the Chairman, Co-Chairman, the various Vice Chairmen of the Party, and the Secretary, Treasurer and General and Financial Counsels. It selects Michigan's two representatives to the Republican National Committee. Additionally, the Chairperson of each County Republican Party organization is a non-voting ex officio member of the State Committee.

Current leadership

PositionName
ChairJim Runestad
Co-ChairSunny Reddy
TreasurerBen Genser
Grassroots Vice-ChairChris Long
Administrative Vice-ChairCheryl Constantino
Coalitions Vice-ChairSusan Kokinda
Outreach Vice-ChairRola Makki
Ethnic Vice-ChairMichael Farage
Youth Vice-ChairKrish Mathrani
National CommitteewomanHima Kolanagireddy
National CommitteemanDr. Rob Steele

Chairmen of the Michigan Republican State Committee

Henry P. Baldwin is the only former governor to become party chairman; Bagley and Groesbeck had not yet been governor.
NameResidenceYears served
Joseph WarrenDetroit1854–1855
James M. EdmundsDetroit1855–1861
E. C. WalkerDetroit1861–1862
William Alanson Howard[16]Detroit1862–1868
GovernorJohn J. Bagley[17]Detroit1868–1870
Stephen D. BinghamLansing1870–1878
George H. HopkinsDetroit1878
Zachariah Chandler[18]Detroit1878–1879
James McMillan[19]Detroit1879–1880
Governor Henry P. Baldwin[20]Detroit1880–1882
Edward S. LaceyCharlotte1882–1884
Philip T. Van ZileCharlotte1884–1886
James McMillanDetroit1886–1888
George H. HopkinsDetroit1888–1890
James McMillanDetroit1890–1896
Dexter M. FerryDetroit1896–1898
Arthur MarshAllegan1898–1900
Gerrit J. Diekema[21]Holland1900–1910
Frank KnoxSault Ste. Marie1910–1912
Governor Alex J. Groesbeck[22]Detroit1912–1914
Gilman M. DameNorthport1914–1916
John D. MangumMarquette1916–1918
Burt D. CadyPort Huron1919–1925
Kennedy L. PotterJackson1925–1927
Gerrit J. DiekemaHolland1927–1929
Howard C. LawrenceIonia and Saginaw1929–1937
James Francis ThomsonJackson1937–1940
Leslie B. ButlerLansing1940–1942
John R. Dethmers[23]Holland1942–1945
John A. WagnerBattle Creek1945–1949
Owen Cleary[24]Ypsilanti1949–1953
John Feikens[25]Detroit1953–1957
Lawrence LindemerStockbridge1957–1961
George Van PeursemZeeland1961–1963
Arthur G. Elliott Jr.Birmingham1963–1965
Elly M. Peterson[26]Charlotte1965–1969
William F. McLaughlinNorthville1969–1979
Melvin L. LarsonOxford1979–1983
Spencer Abraham[27]East Lansing1983–1991
David J. DoyleOkemos1991–1995
Susy Heintz (Avery)Clinton Township1995–1996
Betsy DeVos[28]Grand Rapids1996–2000
Gerald Hills[29]East Lansing2000–2003
Betsy DeVosGrand Rapids2003–2005
Saul AnuzisLansing2005–2009
Ronald Weiser[30]Ann Arbor2009–2011
Bobby SchostakOakland County2011–2015
Ronna Romney McDanielNorthville2015–2017
Ronald Weiser[30]Ann Arbor2017–2019
Laura CoxLivonia2019–2021
Ronald Weiser[30]Ann Arbor2021–2023
Kristina KaramoDetroit2023–2024
Malinda Pego (acting)Muskegon2024
Pete HoekstraHolland2024–2025
Jim RunestadWhite Lake2025–present

References

  1. 12Nelson, Louis (January 19, 2017). "Ronna Romney McDaniel tapped to be new RNC chair". Politico. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
  2. ↑"About | Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference". Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
  3. ↑"Once the mainstream model, Michigan GOP embraces right wing". AP News. April 20, 2021. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  4. ↑"Michigan GOP embraces right wing, moving away from its once mainstream model". The Oakland Press. February 26, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  5. ↑Layne, Nathan (February 17, 2023). "Insight: Far-right Republican groups surge in swing state Michigan". Reuters. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  6. ↑"Once the mainstream model, Michigan GOP embraces right wing". The Independent. February 26, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  7. 12Mack, Julie (November 22, 2020). "6 reasons that allegations of Michigan election fraud defy common sense". mlive. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  8. 12Oosting, Jonathan (December 9, 2020). "'I am certainly not dead!' Living voters contradict Michigan GOP fraud claims". bridgemi.com. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  9. 12Boucher, Dave. "McDaniel claims election misconduct in Michigan, elsewhere, but doesn't present proof". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  10. ↑Oosting, Jonathan (June 23, 2021). "GOP investigation finds no Michigan vote fraud, deems many claims 'ludicrous' | Bridge Michigan". Bridge Michigan. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  11. ↑Spangler, Todd (December 14, 2016). "Trump names Michigan's Ronna Romney McDaniel RNC chair". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  12. 12Mauger, Craig; LeBlanc, Beth. "Michigan Republicans seek to replace GOP canvasser who certified election". The Detroit News. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  13. ↑Beaumont, Thomas and Eggert, David (April 20, 2021). "Once the mainstream model, Michigan GOP embraces right wing". AP News. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  14. ↑Boucher, Dave and Hendrickson, Clara (July 14, 2021). "Michigan GOP executive who blamed Trump for election loss resigns leadership post". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  15. ↑Wade, Peter (July 9, 2023). "'He Kicked Me in My Balls.' Fight at Michigan GOP Meeting Turns Physical: Report". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  16. ↑William Alanson Howard later became U. S. Representative for the Michigan's 1st congressional district (1855–59), (1860–61) and Governor of Dakota Territory (1878–1880)
  17. ↑John J. Bagley later served as Governor of Michigan (1873–1877)
  18. ↑Zachariah Chandler had previously been Mayor of Detroit (1851–1852), U. S. Senator (Class 1) from Michigan (1857–1875, 1879) U. S. Secretary of the Interior (1875–77) and simultaneously Chairman of the Republican National Committee (1876–79)
  19. ↑James McMillan was also a U. S. Senator (Class 2) from Michigan (1889–1902)
  20. ↑Henry P. Baldwin had previously served as Governor of Michigan (1869–1873) and United States Senator (Class 1) from Michigan (1879–1881)
  21. ↑Gerrit J. Diekema had also been U. S. Representative for the Michigan's 5th congressional district (1907–1911)
  22. ↑Alex J. Groesbeck was later Michigan Attorney General (1917–1920) and Governor of Michigan (1921–1927)
  23. ↑John R. Dethmers was later Michigan Attorney General (1945–1946)
  24. ↑Owen Cleary was later Michigan Secretary of State (1953–1954)
  25. ↑John Feikens is currently Senior Judge, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan (since 1986)
  26. ↑Elly M. Peterson was the first woman to serve as chairman of any official state party.
  27. ↑Spencer Abraham later became U. S. Senator from Michigan (1995–2001) and U. S. Secretary of Energy (2001–2005)
  28. ↑Betsy DeVos is married to 2006 Republican gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos
  29. ↑Gerald Hills is currently the spokesman for Michigan Attorney General candidate Bill Schuette.
  30. 123Ronald Weiser is a former United States Ambassador to Slovakia, appointed by George W. Bush in November 2001 and served until December 2004.