OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Ottawa Impact the far-right grassroots PAC group that has dominated the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners since 2022, is facing a significant shift in power. The results of the recent primary elections have left the group clinging to just four of the eleven seats on the board.

With only four of the nine OI-backed candidates who were vetted by the group advancing to the general election in November, it marks a stark contrast to the sweeping control they once held.

A loss of influence but not a total defeat.

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The OI Republican group, known for its ultra-conservative agenda including their support of parental rights and election integrity as well as their opposition to DEI and forced masking and Covid vaccinations, will lose its majority on the board in 2025 after voters expressed their frustration, ousting several key incumbents backed by the PAC. Despite this, some candidates, including the group’s co-founders Joe Moss and Sylvia Rhodea, managed to secure their spots on the November ballot.

During their first meeting in office in January of 2023, the OI-majority board had changed the county motto from ‘Where You Belong’ to ‘Where Freedom Rings.” Other actions spurring headlines in the media included the firing of their health director Adeline Hambley which resulted in litigation until a settlement was reached with the county for Hambley to keep her job. As time passed, more board decisions began to frustrate community members including dissolving the county’s DEI office, making budget cuts, bringing in new corporate council, and restructuring county departments.

Voter sentiment shifts towards moderation.

The primary election results suggest a shift towards more moderate governance in Ottawa County. As Phil Kuyers, one of the victorious challengers, noted that the people in Ottawa County want to get back to general “common sense and good governance.”

John Teeples, who was victorious in District 6 over OI-backed Rachel Atwood, said in a video he posted on Facebook, “I’ve never seen it in 33 years where the community got so engaged and so involved in a cause that was greater than any one of us, but important to all of us.” He added, ““We took a major step tonight to bring sanity back to Ottawa County government, get rid of the chaos, start making decisions that are good for all of us, stop wasting taxpayer dollars, start opening up transparency and being honest about what we’re doing and most importantly treating people with more civility and respect just for who they are, not because of who they affiliate with.”

Richard Czuba of the Glengariff Group described what happened as the following: “Ottawa Impact took control of the commission in the Republican primary in 2022 and, frankly, they caused chaos in this steadfast Republican county that’s been known for good governance.”

What’s next for Ottawa County?

Ottawa Impact’s remaining candidates are in for a tough battle, with Democrats contesting every district for the first time, paving the way for a fiercely competitive election.