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The 2020 presidential election will be two years in the past, but expect it to take center stage as the Michigan Republican Party moves toward nominating its candidates for two state-level positions in 2022.
Kristina Karamo of Oak Park (Photo: Twitter)
Craig Mauger at The Detroit News reports on two fast-rising Republicans who contend the '20 election was somehow tainted or fraudulent, both angling for spots on the GOP ticket for attorney general and secretary of state.
Kristina Karamo, a community-college instructor from Oak Park running for secretary of state, and Matthew DePerno, a Kalamazoo lawyer who has declared for attorney general, "gained prominence by contending there was fraud in Democrat Joe Biden's presidential victory over Republican Donald Trump in Michigan," Mauger writes.
Their campaigns are poised to test how closely state Republicans are holding to Trump's unsubstantiated claims that the presidency was stolen from him and whether party activists are willing to support other candidates who haven't bought into the idea.
In a Tuesday interview, DePerno took aim at fellow Republicans, criticizing Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, and Senate Oversight Chairman Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, who led a months-long probe that found there was no systemic fraud in the 2020 vote.
In a comment that shows the width and depth of the divide, DePerno refers to Shirkey and McBroom as "progressives" that he, as a "conservative constitutionalist," opposes.
Matthew DePerno (Photo: Twitter)
Karamo was a Republican challenger at the TCF Center in November, and her claims that she witnessed irregularities there landed her spots on conservative media and testifying before state legislators. DePerno has pushed election-fraud claims in appearances with My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell and others.
Both have made strides toward building relationships and support among sympathizers in the party.
Multiple Republicans interviewed this week said they believe Karamo has a legitimate opportunity to win the party's nomination for secretary of state. She "absolutely" could be the candidate for November 2022, said Rocky Raczkowski, chairman of the Oakland County Republican Party.
Multiple canvasses, audits and recounts have shown there was no fraud in Joe Biden's 154,000-vote margin over Donald Trump statewide.
