Moderate Republicans in Michigan are growing increasingly alarmed at the antics of far-right members of their party who are making major inroads at taking over the party using methods including armed intimidation at GOP events.
According to a report from Reuters, the extremist members of America First Republicans "now control local party leadership in more than half of Michigan's 83 counties" and that has officials alarmed as they prepare to hold internal elections this Saturday that could influence the direction of the party in the state.
Of concern among party members is that the failure of extremist candidates on the 2022 midterm ballot handed the state party its worst election results since 1984 -- and they fear a repeat in 2024.
As part of the far-right members maneuvering to gain control, the report states, "hardliners deployed armed guards to bar moderate delegates from a county meeting last August, threatening to bring criminal trespassing charges against them, according to an email to the moderates seen by Reuters."
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"To me, this is like a coup of the Republican Party," explained Penny Swan who was exposed to the armed guards last August. "It's like the radical right is trying take over."
"Saturday's meeting is expected to cement Michigan Republicans' shift to the right," Reuters is reporting. "The top two candidates for state party chair have both promoted conspiracy theories in support of Trump's false claims about voter fraud. Nine other candidates are running, including Scott Greenlee, a political consultant favored by moderates who is seen as having an outside chance."
According to Michael Traugott, of the Center for Political Studies at the University of Michigan, "What's going on in Michigan is a microcosm of what is going on with the Republican Party nationally."
Added former Republican state party chair Robert Schostak, "If they continue to use that rhetoric to inspire the base rather than focusing on the future, it will make it very difficult to raise funds from major donors."
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