Republican Infighting Gets Worse as County Party Formally Rejects MI GOP Attempts to Put “Thumb On the Scale” for James Craig

The Michigan Republican primary for governor is getting even messier, as the Muskegon County Republican Party is formally rejecting attempts from the state party to put their “thumb on the scale” for insiders’ hand-picked candidate James Craig, according to MIRS News.

MIRS News added that the Muskegon County GOP executive committee passed a formal measure rejecting Craig’s candidacy, saying Craig is not an “American First” or a “Michigan First” candidate.

Best efforts by the Michigan Republican Party and Craig’s to clear the field for Craig have been a complete failure since Craig’s disastrous campaign launch.  Since then, Craig’s campaign has been one debacle after another: he refused to answer questions about his harmful policies, got caught breaking his promise to become a certified law enforcement officer, was exposed for running from his record of fleeing a carjacking in 2013 and starting a secretive paid speaking gig for himself, and said fixing infrastructure isn’t a priority.

Craig’s campaign failures recently cost him his top consultant, who, in a major “humiliation for Craig,” publicly announced he’s bailing on the campaign. Instead of clearing the primary field, Craig has paved the way for a crowded, messy primary field filled with far-right fringe candidates like Garrett Soldano and Tudor Dixon and out-of-touch self-funders like Kevin Rinke — who pledged to spend $10 million of his own money in the race as an “initial investment.”

“With an onslaught of infighting and his campaign’s repeated mishaps, the Michigan Republican Party’s attempts to put their thumb on the scale for James Craig are backfiring,” said DGA Deputy Communications Director Sam Newton.  “Instead, Republicans will have to continue to duke it out in a crowded and divisive primary about far-right and harmful positions. While their primary gets messier and messier, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is bringing Michiganders together and tackling key issues — like the major news today that her bipartisan auto insurance reform is lowering costs for Michigan drivers by delivering a direct $400 check for every car they own.”