Donald Trump wins Michigan presidential primary, Kristina Karamo removed as state party chair
(CBS DETROIT) - A judge in Grand Rapids upheld the ouster of former Michigan Republican Party Chair Kristina Karamo on the same day as Michigan's presidential primary.
"The judge's restraining order prevents me from calling myself the chairwoman. Even though I've been dually elected and the majority of the committee affirmed me," Karamo said.
For weeks, there was the possibility that the Michigan Republican Party could see two different conventions to pick delegates. One is to be hosted by Karamo in Detroit, and another is to be hosted by the current chair Pete Hoekstra.
"I don't want to do something that harms our delegates," she said. "So our delegates are having to follow the court appointed chair. That's who Pete Hoekstra is. He was not elected. They're going to have to follow his direction as to where to go and just reality of it."
Hoekstra was not available for an interview on Wednesday.
Michigan saw about 24% voter turnout during the presidential primary on Tuesday. On the Republican side, former President Donald Trump swept up about 68% of the vote, with Nikki Haley well behind with 26% of the vote.
"Haley maybe spent two or three days campaigning in Michigan not very long," said Professor Corwin Smidt, an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at Michigan State University. "So I think one way we would look at it is maybe not so much of a vote, the vote for Haley, as much a vote against Trump. If we're looking at sort of wanting to compare, say, the people voting on the Democratic side who aren't voting for Biden. Trump certainly has more opposition within his party than Biden does within his."
For the moment, Smidt said Haley's path to victory is looking slim.
"Logically, no, if things are the same as they are now," Smidt said.
