KRISTINA WHO?
The fallout continues for the Michigan GOP from their elevation of failed Secretary of State candidate Kristina Karamo as state party chair in February. A recent gathering of GOP power brokers ended with an agreement that the state party is officially on the “back burner” when it comes to elections, and none have any intention of giving money to the party, whose role is to support candidates. Instead, they all determined their donations will be better utilized going directly to candidate PACs. “Nobody is opening a check book for D List celebrities” at the party headquarters, a Republican honcho said. As for Karamo’s statement that the Michigan GOP is “decentralizing operations,” and that is why she has declined the party’s longtime headquarters in downtown Lansing, owned by a trust, along with other assets, run by several former party chairs, including Bloomfield Hills’ Bobby Schostak. The party brokers called “decentralization” a “joke.” Former Michigan GOP co-chair Jeff Sakwa agreed. “They (the party) have no money, so they can’t pay the rent,” he said. “When you alienate the people with money, you have nothing.” Sakwa, who remains active in Republican politics, concurred with the other power brokers. “We don’t need Karamo to win. We will win without her. We will give money directly to candidates. We will not give money to candidates who lose by 14 points and do not concede,” alluding to Karamo’s failed November campaign.