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Paul Sancia/Associated Press
Former President Donald Trump arrives at a campaign rally in Waterford Township, Michigan, on February 17, 2024.
Grand Rapids, Michigan
CNN
—
Former President Donald Trump won all 39 contested delegates Saturday at Michigan’s Republican convention, officials said, as he seeks to move past a leadership contest that has split the state party into competing factions. .
Party chairman Pete Hoekstra, a former ambassador and congressman, presided in Grand Rapids after days of wrangling over where the convention would be held and who would be in charge.
Tensions over the leadership race continued throughout the day as convention organizers emailed links to the results, including posts from Trump’s “Truth Social” account.
“I look forward to working with Ambassador Pete Hoekstra as Michigan Republican Party Chairman. He is a great Michigan congressman and a winner who likewise did a great job as ambassador to the Netherlands. Pete Hoekstra He will make the state Republican Party great again and I fully support him becoming its chairman – he will never let you down!” the post read.
The Michigan Republican Party State Committee appointed Hoekstra as its new chairman in January after ousting former chairwoman Christina Karamo, an election denier and unsuccessful 2022 candidate for secretary of state. Karamo sued, but a Michigan judge this week rejected his bid to take back power. The Republican National Committee also moved to confirm Hoekstra as state party chairman.
Amid the leadership struggle, Karamo and his aides were planning a convention in Detroit. Hoekstra made the announcement in Grand Rapids after becoming party chairman. Some delegates were undecided about which party to attend, and some Karamo allies in the 1st and 4th constituencies broke away and held their own rallies on Saturday.
Grand Rapids attendees acknowledged the damage the fight had done to the state Republican Party.
“Everyone’s emotions are very high,” said delegate and RNC committee candidate Hima Kolanagireddy.
He said he believed the party would be united “once the dust settles” to win in 2024. But he also acknowledged deep rifts within the state’s Republican Party.
“It will take some time. There are a lot of scars,” Kolanagireddy said. “And at the end of the day, we’re all Republicans, so I think we’ll find our way. We need to come together to win.”
RNC Commissioner Rob Steele predicted that strong support for Trump across all factions of the fractured state party would help unite the Republican Party.
“I think there’s going to be some noise, but we’re ready to move forward,” Steele said.
Hoekstra repeatedly called out President Trump on Saturday to express his support for the former president’s chairmanship.
Saturday’s meeting in Grand Rapids comes five days after Trump defeated former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in the Michigan primary. The state selects its delegates through a split process, with 16 people nominated for the primary and the remaining 39 elected on Saturday. Three of his awards went to the winner of each of the state’s 13 congressional districts.
Support for Trump dominated the Grand Rapids convention, with attendees wearing “Make America Great Again” hats and candidates on committees touting their history of support for the former president.
But outside of President Trump, divisions within the Republican Party were clear. Flyers were floating around the convention that read “Christina Karamo is our president” and “Pete Hoekstra is a fraud.” The flyer said the money was paid for by “patriots who believe in the truth.”
District 4 Chairman Ken Beyer told CNN on Saturday that he and other Karamo allies will seek to remove Hoekstra from power.
“What we’re doing is we’re going to step back to the county and start replacing the people who sided with Hoekstra right now… and replace them with new delegates,” he said.
Beyer also said President Trump’s endorsement of Hoekstra would not resolve divisions over control of the state’s Republican Party.
“I love Trump. Our district voted 100% for him. But we are not a cult,” Beyer said. “He doesn’t always give good advice. And I have to be firm with him. Maybe he’s getting bad information from someone, or why he’s like that. I don’t know if he’s going to make a decision. I know he wants to beat Michigan.”
Hoekstra himself appealed to reporters for all his support as chairman of the Michigan Republican Party.
“No. 1, the state commission acted. The RNC certified that what the state commission did was legal. Donald Trump supported me. The Congressional delegation supported me. I did. The leaders of the state House and Senate supported me, and now the court is making the decision. The Court of Appeals is making the decision,” Hoekstra said. Told.
Michigan’s No. 2 Congressman Clark Harrington called the Republican chairman’s situation “somewhat confusing,” but said, “The vote for Mr. Trump is unanimous.”
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