Michigan Republicans plan dueling conventions for presidential nomination as turmoil continues

By JOEY CAPPELLETTI
Associated Press

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan Republicans are planning dueling presidential nominating conventions that will take place March 2. The Republican National Committee last week said that party members had properly removed former chair Kristina Karamo and recognized former Congressman Pete Hoekstra as the party’s new chair. Hoekstra announced Tuesday that he would hold a presidential nominating convention to allocate 39 of the state’s 55 presidential delegates on March 2 in Grand Rapids. Karamo and her backers plan to hold a convention the same day in Detroit. Split loyalties within the state party have set the stage for Hoekstra and Karamo to each send their own set of delegates to the RNC. Some local party leaders have vowed to attend Karamo’s convention in Detroit, no matter what the RNC has said.