Top Michigan Republican Admits GOP Has 'Lost Credibility'

Michigan GOP chair Kristina Karamo said Thursday she believes Republicans across the state and across the country have "lost credibility" the last three election cycles even though her own political future is in jeopardy.

Karamo, a 2020 presidential election denier and former community college professor from the metro Detroit area who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, has drawn scrutiny since she took over Michigan's GOP less than a year ago following a 14-point loss in the state's secretary of state race to Jocelyn Benson, the Democratic incumbent, in the 2022 midterms.

She faces her biggest test yet as a mutiny has been cast against her by many fellow Michigan Republicans. A special meeting has been called by members of the Michigan GOP state committee, taking place on Saturday evening. If at least half of the committee, approximately 50 members or so, attend and at least 75 percent of them back a motion to remove Karamo as chair, her role would be relinquished and temporarily given to co-chair Malinda Pego—who supports Karamo stepping down.

Karamo has been accused of not pushing the party forward, partially due to not working to rid the statewide party of nearly $500,000 debt. Michigan is viewed as one of a handful of swing states that may ultimately decide the presidency this year.

She said Thursday night on local FOX affiliate WJBK that the party is moving forward, and that she inherited that debt and is cleaning it up.

"We've looked over the last three [election] cycles," Karamo said. "The Michigan Republican Party, and the Republican Party as a whole, has lost influence, it's lost credibility. And to restore that and correct, you're gonna have some bumps in the road."

She added: "But we're really pleased about the direction we're going in. One of the things is, we're bringing new people into the party and we're fortifying and working on restoring the middle class. We're focused on informing the everyday citizen how the government works."

Newsweek reached out to Karamo and the Michigan GOP via email for comment.

Tommy Kubitschek, spokesperson for the Michigan Democratic Party, told Newsweek via email on Friday that with or without Karamo, an "extreme agenda" will still be pushed in the Michigan Legislature.

"None of this is a shock considering Karamo has promoted nothing but chaos, driven the party into debt, and failed to deliver on any of her promises," he said. "The fact is, however, the problems with the MI GOP go much deeper than Karamo, having embraced MAGA extremism at every turn. State Republican leaders like Matt Hall, who is one of Trump's original Michigan disciples, has been silent on the Karamo chaos and demonstrates how far the MIGOP has fallen."

Karamo's words may have fallen on deaf ears among her own conservative colleagues.

"If I would have known that Kristina Karamo would have turned out to be such a tyrannical incompetent dumpster fire, I would never have worked so hard to get her elected. For that I apologize," Dawn Beattie, a state committee member, wrote in an email in November to other Republicans.

Vance Patrick, chairman of the Oakland County Republican Party, issued a statement in December saying that the party needs a new leader now to prepare for this fall's election. Karamo has failed to build the infrastructure necessary to be successful, he added.

"This call for a vote to remove our current chair is not made lightly," Vance wrote in part. "It is a step [toward] ensuring that our party can continue to grow, unite, and effectively champion the ideals we hold dear."

He added: "A change in leadership is necessary to reinvigorate our party, to build stronger coalitions, and to prepare us for success in 2024 and beyond."

Oakland County is one of the three most populous counties in the state.

Jon Rocha, who sits on the Michigan Republican State Central Committee, recently said, "We're done and it's time for her to go," according to Michigan Radio.

However, Mark Smith, chair of the Benzie County GOP, told local NBC affiliate WPBN-TV on Thursday that the planned meeting is a distraction and that Karamo should be retained.

"Kristina was elected by the delegates at the last state convention," Smith told Newsweek via email on Friday. "This vote represents the will, for the first time in recent memory, of 'We the People' as intended by our Constitution. You are watching the transition of power away from an elite, well-oiled and financed minority to the common man. Change this big will be messy. All of our Benzie County Republicans respect the election of Kristina and support her."

David Dulio, a political science professor and director of the Center for Civic Engagement at Oakland University, told Newsweek via phone on Friday that the "turmoil and dysfunction" surrounding Karamo can only hamper Republicans' opportunities to alter the statewide political landscape.

"I think the battle for the Republican Party in Michigan is emblematic of the wider struggles that the GOP has nationwide," Dulio said. "It's really a fight of the Trump wing of the party...and the more establishment wing of the party, who is clearly ready to move on in some ways from the former president and his supporters who have risen to positions of authority, like the state party chair."

Meanwhile, Karamo has remained steadfast in her abilities to lead the statewide GOP towards success, telling Newsweek earlier this week that the vote being set up against her may not even consist as part of an official proceeding.

"Our bylaws are very clear about the proper procedures to change party bylaws, call meetings, and remove committee members," she said. "These individuals have not followed the MIGOP bylaws to call a meeting, change bylaws, or remove any member, they have zero legal authority to conduct business regarding the Michigan Republican Party or its State Committee."

During Thursday's TV appearance, Karamo again doubled down on the conspiracy theory that the 2020 election was stolen in Democrats' favor, calling President Joe Biden "illegitimate."

Even though Republicans can and will likely run on issues like inflation and immigration, Dulio said he believes continued mentioning of the 2020 election is not a recipe for success for conservative candidates.

"Trump folks would look at polls as the [former] president leading as an argument against this," he said. "Republicans are unlikely to win competitive races of significance until they are ready to stop relitigating 2020. I think that's because most voters, and certainly the vast majority of voters Donald Trump needs to get back—middle of the road, moderate, Oakland County—they're not interested in that at all."

Update 01/05/24, 3:15 p.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Smith.

Update 01/05/24, 12:53 p.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Kubitschek.