Everybody make nice
While a candidate backed by President Donald Trump ousted the Ohio GOP state chair in a hotly contested race to run that state’s Republican party after Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) failed to support President-elect Trump, word from insiders is that Trump will not throw his weight around in Michigan to put the guy who purportedly delivered Michigan for him, Scott Hagerstrom. Hagerstrom, a former state director of Americans for Prosperity in Michigan (read Tea Party) directed Trump’s campaign in Michigan, and announced in December that he would seek the Michigan Republican Party chairmanship. Thing is, Ron Weiser, member of the University of Michigan Board of Regents, has his eye on that position. However, Weiser is a very large donor to the Republican Party, was an ambassador to Slovakia under former President George W. Bush, and is a previous Michigan GOP party chair, from 2009 to 2011. According to a source, Weiser, who was named to the Trump inauguration committee, spoke to Trump chief strategist and senior counselor to the presidency Steve Bannon, receiving the administration’s support. “I just think Weiser is the better choice,” said Jeff Sakwa, who was co-chair of the party with Ronna Romney McDaniel, who became the national party chair, and briefly ran for the state chairmanship. “When he called and said he wanted the job, I said, ‘Amen.’ I was very flattered that people considered me, but I like being in the background, helping people. Ron asked me to be part of his team and I will be.” Another source said Weiser offered Hagerstrom a job for the sake of party unity, and Hagerstrom allegedly turned him down. “Now he’ll be unemployed,” the source said. “He’s a nice guy. But his supporters aren’t.”