Former President Donald Trump is poised to lock up Michigan’s remaining GOP presidential delegates even after the process was thrown into disarray over where the nominating convention would be held.
The Michigan Republican Party is set to meet in Grand Rapids on Saturday afternoon to award 39 of its 55 GOP presidential delegates. However, the process has been overshadowed by a monthslong leadership dispute that could lead to much of the party’s grassroots faction skipping the event altogether.
Up until this week, it remained unclear where the party would even meet for its nominating convention. Two dueling events were organized by party leaders, generating mass confusion just days before the convention.
The intraparty dissension comes after state Republicans voted to remove GOP Chairwoman Kristina Karamo, arguing she hadn’t done enough to advance the party before the 2024 cycle began and citing at least $500,000 in debt. Karamo was then replaced by former Rep. Pete Hoekstra, who is backed by Trump and recognized by the Republican National Committee.
However, Karamo refused to acknowledge her ouster, filing an emergency motion to the Michigan Court of Appeals to remain chairwoman. That appeal was denied earlier this week.
Both Karamo and Hoekstra organized separate conventions to allocate the state’s remaining delegates, prompting confusion on which gathering was deemed official. Karamo planned one convention in Detroit, whereas Hoekstra organized one in Grand Rapids.
However, after the court rejected Karamo’s appeal, the Detroit convention was reportedly canceled — seemingly bringing an end to the dispute.
The intraparty conflict is unlikely to affect the allocation of delegates, and Trump is favored to secure a majority, if not all, of the delegates at play. The former president handily defeated Nikki Haley in the state’s primary on Tuesday, garnering 68% of the vote compared to just 27% for Haley.
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The Michigan Republican Party split its nominating system after state Democrats passed a law that moved Michigan’s primary date earlier in the calendar, violating rules set by the national GOP. To avoid any punishment, the state GOP adopted a hybrid nominating system.
So far, Trump has locked up 122 presidential delegates, far outpacing Haley with 24. In order to win the nomination, a candidate must win 1,215 delegates — which Trump is expected to secure shortly after Super Tuesday next week.
