The role of any state political party is to not only advance the party’s agenda but also to fund the efforts essential to winning elections. As effective as grassroots operations may be, there can be no victories without strong party finances.
In the past, the Michigan Republican Party has balanced grassroots and donor efforts well. The 2022 cycle was helmed by a Chairman who personally contributed $5 million as a commitment to conservative efforts, and when combined with other donations, allowed the party to fund state and local elections with healthy campaign coffers.
A political party cannot operate on pennies and goodwill alone, and the previous administration’s efforts stand in sharp contrast to the mere $315,000 the party has raised under Chair Kristina Karamo.
To be successful in the future, it is absolutely critical that any leader of the state party be as adept at fundraising as they are at rallying voters at the ballot box.
If we allow this runaway train to keep traveling at its current speed, the result of that financial ruin will not only result in party bankruptcy, but profound losses on Election Day.
I believe in a united Republican Party, but at a certain point we have to be prepared to recognize current party leadership is doing more harm than good as they face hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of outstanding debts while also armed with astoundingly few fundraising dollars to help us take back the White House and Michigan seats next year.
It is especially alarming that while fundraising efforts remain at what must be a historic all time low, party leadership felt it necessary to spend one third of that amount to bring in an actor as guest speaker during September’s Mackinac conference – a debt which remains outstanding.
The party is in financial shambles due to its own negligence and dereliction of duty. When a promise to delegates and voters is so thoroughly and obviously broken, it is time to forge a new path ahead and elect new leaders to bring us to victory.