Michigan Republicans’ clash over leadership of their state party could mean dueling presidential nominating conventions will take place March 2, even though the national Republican Party has said members properly removed former chair Kristina Karamo.
Former Congressman Pete Hoekstra, the new Michigan GOP chair as recognized by the Republican National Committee, announced Tuesday that the state Republican Party will hold a presidential nominating convention to allocate 39 of the state’s 55 presidential delegates on March 2 in Grand Rapids. But Karamo and her backers plan to hold a convention the same day in Detroit.
Meanwhile, hearings regarding the dispute over Michigan’s GOP chair position are scheduled for later this week, and a judge could resolve the situation before the convention events.
Karamo was voted out as party chair by some members in the party during a Jan. 6 meeting, but she has refused to accept the results, claiming the meeting was not official and had been illegally organized.