FLINT, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – As the dust settles on Michigan’s political conventions that were held over the weekend, both Democrats and Republicans have finalized their candidates for the November elections. However, it didn’t happen without shenanigans and dissent at both gatherings.

Choosing the contenders: Michigan political parties set their lineups for November.

The Michigan Republican Party and the Michigan Democratic Party met in separate locations on Saturday to hold their state conventions and choose their party’s November election candidates to the Michigan Supreme Court, the University of Michigan Board of Regents, Michigan State University Board of Trustees, Wayne State University Board of Governors, members of the State Board of Education, 13 presidential electors and two at-large presidential electors. In Michigan, the state parties’ precinct delegates, not primary voters, choose these candidates.

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The Michigan Democratic State Nominating Convention was held on Saturday at the Lansing Center in Lansing, Michigan. Their call to convention to their delegates said that the election in November will determine the “fate of our democracy.” They discussed the importance of the November elections saying, “The diversity of Michigan Democrats is our greatest strength but standing together is how we defeat the ‘divide and conquer’ tactics of our opponents. When we all come together we know we are with our brothers and sisters under that big tent, surrounded by family and joined as one in the battle for what is right and just alongside each other.”

Democratic call for unity falls flat.

However, although their message was one of unity, tensions flared when anti-Israel Democrats caused disruptions at the convention. A Muslim woman heckled Jewish University of Michigan regent Jordan Acker during the national anthem, demanding he “divest from Israel” while the crowd remained silent. The situation escalated as she continued her rant, accusing Acker of supporting “genocide,” with no intervention from other delegates or from any of the supporters of Pro-palestinian movement leader and University of Michigan Regent candidate Huwaida Arraf.

Candidate who defended pro-Hamas protesters loses.

In another incident, the convention saw delegates contest the election results for the U of M Regent candidates. Arraf, known for defending pro-Hamas protesters, narrowly lost, prompting delegates to chant “show the math!” and question the voting process. Arraf had reportedly planned to be a bridge between pro-Hamas protesters and the Board of Regents, advocating for student protesters’ protection, but her defeat exposed deep divisions in the party and skepticism regarding election integrity.

According to Michigan Advance, the convention was “flooded” with Arraf supporters decked in maize shirts for Huwaida Arraf. In the end, after the loss of their candidate, they chanted, “In November, we’ll remember.”

On the other side of the aisle, and further to the northeast, was the Republican convention which was held at the Dort Financial Center in Flint on the same day. Their call to convention and their delegate packet was filled with factual information and no call to arms to save democracy or declarations about how important the upcoming elections will be.

DePerno bows out amid scandal: controversy clouds GOP convention before it even begins.

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Even before the convention started, there was controversy. Failed Michigan Republican Attorney General candidate and failed MIGOP Chair candidate, Matt DePerno, who had been running to be a Michigan Supreme Court Justice, dropped out of the race about 12 hours before the convention started.

Awash in accusations from many Republican delegates about his unethical behavior and election misconduct within the party, he chose to step down, citing his intention to better support former President Donald Trump’s efforts to win Michigan in the upcoming election. DePerno is also reportedly struggling to gain traction with MIGOP grassroots supporters loyal to Karamo, whom he has opposed.

On a Michigan Republican Precinct Delegates Facebook page, questions have been raised about DePerno’s alleged involvement in a questionable convention in Kalamazoo where critics of DePerno say delegates were wrongfully unseated and manipulated in favor of him. The accusations have been refuted online and called “slander” by Kalamazoo County GOP Chair Kelly Sackett.

The ongoing feud within the Kalamazoo County Republican Party hit a peak on Saturday when delegates tried to overthrow the current leadership, but their efforts ultimately fell short.

GOP leadership pushes back against nominations coup.

MIGOP leadership appeared ready for any plans to try to change the nominating rules at the convention and had sent out a letter asking their delegates to stand in solidarity with the candidates and oppose any efforts by “agitators to disrupt or hijack the nomination process.”

Karamo ejected: former GOP Chair escorted out amid convention chaos.

On the day of the convention, there was also a clash when former GOP Chairperson Kristina Karamo showed up and was forcibly escorted out by Flint police after arriving as an unregistered delegate and allegedly refusing a guest credential.

Image Credit: Ron Dwyer 

Saying that she was at the convention to support Alexandria Taylor’s Supreme Court campaign, Karamo was surrounded by supporters, leading to disruptions that prompted security and law enforcement to remove her from the convention floor. Karamo protested her ejection, claiming she was there to support a candidate, while the party stated her unauthorized presence and disruptive behavior necessitated her removal. She called the whole thing “corrupt” as she was led out.

Image Credit: Ron Dwyer 

In addition to Karamo getting the boot, a disruptive guest was also escorted out of the Republican convention after repeatedly yelling “fraud” during Michigan GOP Chair Pete Hoekstra’s speech. The man taken out of the convention was identified by the Republican Precinct Delegates Facebook page as Bob Blackmer, someone recognized as a person who was previously asked to leave the room during an Oakland County Republican Party convention.

During MIGOP Chair Hoekstra’s speech, which elicited boos from the audience, he addressed the divided crowd with a touch of humor, saying, “Some of you don’t like me… that’s okay. I’m not on the ballot.” He went on to say that his priority was “putting together an organization that is a winning team.”

Business is finally accomplished.

In the end, both political parties finally got down to the business at hand and nominated their candidates; although, at the Republican convention, the process was delayed by slow hand-counting of ballots and the dispute over delegate credentials due to competing claims for leadership of the Kalamazoo County Republican Party.

A similar leadership conflict exists with Democrats in Saginaw County, where Democratic County Clerk Vanessa Guerra recently recognized both rival groups, allowing each to appoint election challengers and poll watchers for the August primary.

The results of the votes at this weekend’s political party conventions are as follows:

Republican candidates:
Michigan Supreme Court: Patrick (Bill) O’Grady and Andrew Fink
State Board of Education: Tom McMillan and Nikki Snyder
Wayne State Board of Governors: Michael Busuito and Sunny Reddy
U of M Regents: Sevag Vartanian and Carl Meyers
MSU Board of Trustees: Mike Barlow and Julie Maday

Democratic candidates:
Michigan Supreme Court: Kyra Harris Bolden and Kimberly Thomas
State Board of Education: Adam Zemke and Ted Jones
Wayne State Board of Governors: Mark Gaffney and Rasha Demashkieh
U of M Regents: Denise Ilitch and Dr. Shauna Ryder Diggs
MSU Board of Trustees: Rebecca Bahar-Cook and Tommy Stallworth