Tough primary on horizon for Fred Upton after Trump backs GOP challenger

Rep. Fred Upton, perennial target of disenchanted conservatives in Michigan’s 6th Congressional District, is headed for a pitched battle in the 2022 Republican primary after former President Donald Trump endorsed his challenger, Steve Carra.

Carra was a relatively unknown freshman member of the Michigan Legislature muddling in a crowd of Republicans aiming for Upton when Trump endorsed him Tuesday. The former president is seeking payback against the congressman after Upton voted to impeach him for allegedly fomenting the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. Trump’s motivations aside, conservative activists who tried and failed for years to dislodge the resilient Upton may have finally caught a break.