A group of Michigan Republican Party committee members gathered Saturday afternoon and voted to remove state party chair Kristina Karamo — but Karamo said she would not recognize their authority.
Forty of the 45 Republicans at the special meeting voted via secret ballot in favor of Karamo’s removal, according to multiple sources and a video announcement, The Detroit News reported. Karamo and her team said that the Republicans seeking her removal have not abided by the party’s bylaws, and she scheduled a special meeting on January 13, which she says is the actual special meeting.
“These individuals have not followed the MIGOP bylaws to call a meeting, change bylaws or remove any member,” Karamo told The Detroit News earlier this week. “They have zero legal authority to conduct business regarding the Michigan Republican Party or its state committee.”
Karamo rose to prominence within the Michigan GOP after challenging the results of former President Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss. She then ran for Michigan secretary of state with Trump’s endorsement in the 2022 election cycle, a race she lost by 14 percentage points to incumbent Democrat Jocelyn Benson. Karamo was elected to state party chair in February, largely riding the support of conservative grassroots activists.
Party members have criticized Karamo for doing too little to unite Republicans in the state and address the party’s debt — which stood at around $500,000 as of October. Last week, eight of Michigan’s 13 GOP congressional district chairs asked Karamo to step down and “put an end to the chaos in our party.”
“Please have the grace, courage and love of our state to accept the fact that at this most critical time in our nation’s history, the Michigan Republican Party needs someone else in leadership,” the district chairs wrote in a letter. “Someone who can unite the entire party, raise the funds needed to run the party, and help our candidates win.”
Bree Moeggenberg, a Michigan GOP committee member who led the effort to call for Saturday’s special meeting, celebrated the vote.
“We have made history today. With over 88% of the members that were present and voting, we have taken the first step to engage and protect the various voices and liberties of all Republicans,” Moeggenberg said.
Following the vote, party co-chair Malinda Pego told those gathered, “I am now the acting chair,” The Detroit News reported.
State GOP committee member Darlene Doetzel, one of Karamo’s supporters who did not attend the special meeting, said the votes of missing members were assigned to proxies who opposed Karamo without the approval of the absent committee members.
“They are trying to hoodwink the entire state party,” Doetzel said, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Karamo remained unmoved by the result of the special meeting, setting up a potential court battle between the Republican factions.
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“Their performance has no legal standing,” she said. “I am still chair of the Michigan Republican Party.”