A New Delegate Scandal? Opposing Candidate Delegates Vying For Trump And Cruz Spots

Tonight across Michigan delegates are being chosen to go to the State Convention in April.  There these delegates will vote amongst themselves to send delegates to the National Convention in Cleveland.

We received word of perhaps some dirty tricks that may be played with these National Delegate slots. 

The apportionment of delegates based on voter results seems fair and that is not our dispute.  However how those delegate slots are filled could be a problem.

Graphic courtesy of RightMI.com
Kevin Rex Heine
read his article here

The information we have received is that there are some that were for Kasich and Rubio  as well as other candidates -that campaigned hard against Donald Trump and Ted Cruz- are trying to fill those delegate slots.  This will be a major problem should Trump or Cruz not get the necessary 1237 delegates needed for nomination.   The only two candidates left with a mathematical chance to get the 1237 delegates needed for nomination are Donald Trump and Ted Cruz.

These delegates who were for the other candidates will likely not vote for Trump or Cruz in Cleveland.  This will allow power brokers to nominate from the floor and Kaisch could get the nomination or so could those out of the race, such as Jeb Bush or those than were never on the primary ballot such as Mitt Romney.

It is very important that delegates tonight be vigilant and that only those delegates that were for a particular candidate be appointed.  It is also up to the Michigan Republican Party to make sure that the At-Large Delegates be represented appropriately as well.  

I would strongly recommend that the Donald Trump and Ted Cruz delegates work together tonight to make sure their candidates are not represented by someone that doesn't have their candidates best interest at heart. 

Keep in mind the Washington Establishment doesn't want to give up power and they are hoping for chaos in State Conventions.  

Michigan Lt Gov Urges Delegates At State Convention To Go John Kasich

Even though he's won only one state, his state of Ohio and

Michigan Lt. Gov Brian Calley

probably due to a new confusing ballot for first-time voters,  some still think John Kasich is the only one that can beat Hillary.  If you can't win in the primaries, how are you going to win in the general?

John Kasich is losing because most realize that he is a fraud.  He is for common-core, he buddied up with President Bill Clinton while a congressman for gun control and he says that he's the only adult in the room; well check out the video at the bottom of this blog and watch how he treats law enforcement.

Michigan's Lt Governor Brian Calley also thinks Kasich is the right one and thinks that a 3rd place finish behind Ted Cruz is a strong finish.  Here is Calley's remarks in his e-mail:

Today is a very important day for Republicans in Michigan. In each county across the state, Republicans will be convening to elect delegates and alternates to the state Republican convention to be held April 8-9 at the Lansing Center. The county conventions will all be held at 7pm at a location that can be found by following this link and looking for your county.

The state convention will elect delegates and alternates to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland this July. This will be the first national convention since 1948 in which no candidate is expected to have amassed a majority of delegates and be nominated on the first ballot. Michigan delegates and alternates to the national convention are bound to support the candidate they are pledged to on the first ballot only. It is critical that John Kasich supporters be elected to fill the 17 delegate and 15 alternate national convention positions won by Gov. Kasich by his strong finish in the March 8 Michigan Presidential Primary.

Poll after poll shows that Gov. Kasich is the only candidate who defeats Hillary Clinton, and consistently defeats her in key swing states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire. I endorsed Gov. Kasich before the Michigan primary, and I continue to support his candidacy, because I believe it is important to nominate the most conservative candidate who will win in November.

Whichever candidate you support, you should insist that the process be fair. That’s why it is so important that you attend your county convention today, and hopefully be elected as a delegate or alternate to the state convention in April.

If you are an executive committee member or a precinct delegate, you are eligible to vote at your county convention. If you are not a precinct delegate, please contact your county chair and determine if there are vacancies in your precinct and ask to be elected as a delegate by the county convention. Ask to be a delegate or alternate to the state convention in April. At your county convention any precinct delegate seeking to be a state convention delegate or alternate must be given preference for those positions over any person who is a GOP activist but not a precinct delegate.

Contact any precinct delegates you know and urge them to attend the county convention today.

I hope that you will attend your county convention today, the state convention in April, and that you will join me in supporting the candidate with the best chance to defeat Hillary Clinton in November - Governor John Kasich of Ohio.

Brian Calley

Lt. Governor of Michigan

John Kasich portrays himself as the "adult" in the Republican party. Does this look like an adult to you?This video...
Posted by Ron Dwyer on Thursday, March 17, 2016

Was Cindy Gamrat Wrongfully Removed From The Republican Caucus?

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Cindy Gamrat came out swinging today on her Facebook page on what she feels is unjust treatment because she will not play ball as usual in Lansing. She speaks out on her removal from the Republican Caucus for representing the voters.  Here is her post, what are your thoughts?

Good morning!
I am writing this letter because I believe my constituents and the people of Michigan deserve to know the truth about what is going on in Lansing. I came to Lansing to bring transparency and authenticity to the office and to be a strong voice for the people in my district and Michigan. After over two weeks of being held out of caucus, I was finally given the opportunity to meet with Speaker Cotter this past Thursday.

Regarding the multiple breaches of confidentiality that were reported in the paper and used to question my credibility and integrity, the Speaker said that his words were misrepresented and there was not a list of breaches of confidentiality. Instead, he shared with me a short list of complaints regarding courtesy faux pas' that I have made, such as not always letting leadership know ahead of time when I was going to vote "No" on a bill, or not always calling ahead when speaking outside of my district to the representative of that district. This is standard operating procedure in Lansing and Washington and it is clear I have not complied to their satisfaction and have stepped on a few toes.

Had I known the charges, I would have been able to share the innocuous reasons for my imperfect compliance to their standards. For instance regarding letting leadership know ahead of time when I will be voting "No", while I am on the floor or in committee, my first and foremost focus is to make sure I understand the bills to the best of my ability and vote the right way for the people of my district. This means many times right up until the vote I am hearing testimony on a bill, reading fiscal analysis, talking with the sponsor of the bill or looking up further information on it. I cast a "No" vote when I believe the legislation will grow government, cost the taxpayers more money, impede on our freedoms, or is being pushed through rapidly without the time to conduct the research I feel is required for the bill.

And as far as traveling, I have been speaking around the state on a regular basis for the past few years and am now also campaigning for Republican National Committee Woman. Many times my speaking engagements are scheduled with short notice, sometimes I do not know where and when I will be speaking until I look at my schedule the day or two before, and I am also not in the habit of calling ahead for approval before each event.

The other infractions shared with me on Thursday included: asking for a different seat in the beginning of the term, my Facebook posts (these were not discussed in any detail), and requesting the swing of my office door be corrected.

I am truly disappointed that these issues were not brought to my attention along the way and cleared up long ago, especially given that this has been dragging out all the while I am in a campaign for Republican National Committee Woman and during the omnibus and education budget votes. These minor infractions could have been quickly and easily resolved, yet I was tried, convicted, and sentenced by leadership without even given the opportunity to know the charges or defend myself.

Even so, the Lord gives me strength to press on and to continue fighting to pass the torch of liberty and prosperity on to our children and grandchildren. I will continue to stand for limited government so that our future generations can experience opportunity and pursue their dreams without being held back by an overburdensome government. The larger government gets, the less freedom we have and I will continue to be a strong voice for taxpayers in saying the government should live within it's budget and not take more and more money from our families or interfere in the markets by picking winners and losers.

I think there were many other ways to go about this; however, it is up to leadership to decide the type of leaders they will be, how they will lead, and what that will look like in instituting and enforcing compliance of the members. As of this time, I have still not heard back from leadership as to if I am allowed back into caucus.

I am new and maybe I am wrong, but to me the infractions I've made simply don't merit the punishment that I have received. I'm not sure if this happened because they're not sure what to do with a confident nurse/homeschool/soccer mom with a strong voice, or if it's because some are afraid of having a conservative grassroots voice as the next Republican National Committee Woman. Or maybe it is just typical Lansing insider politics. But regardless of the reason, I came to Lansing to bring transparency and shed light and I will not be dissuaded in my responsibility to do that.

So for my constituents, I can assure you that I am doing everything I can to bring a strong voice of transparency, limited government, life, lower taxes, free markets, and individual liberty to continue to earn the trust that you placed in me in my position. I will not turn my back on you but will continue to fight for you. I do not work for Lansing, I work for you, who sent me to Lansing to do the job I said I would do.

And for my fellow Republicans, my belief in American exceptionalism and the values of our Republican platform have not wavered. We have some major battles ahead in this upcoming presidential race and we will need strong and steadfast leadership at the top representing Michigan, and if elected as your next Republican National Committee Woman, I am committed to doing just that.

And to my fellow Representatives, now that you have finally heard the charges against me, you will have to decide in your heart how to respond and what all this means. I did everything in my power to try and resolve this privately, but cannot stand silently by while false accusations are perpetuated against me, and as an extension of that, my district I represent. I will continue to serve with passion and integrity and work with anyone interested in making Michigan stronger, where our children can prosper and raise their families. I appreciate the different voices and thoughts we each bring to the table and believe that only makes us stronger as we consider our steps from various angles. We were each duly elected by the people of our districts and I would hope each be given a voice in the discussion. I look forward in continuing to work with each of you and the debate and discussions we will have in finding solutions to the issues that face our state.

These last few weeks have been trying to be sure, but the hardships I have endured and the arrows I have taken are small in comparison to the men and women who have paid a much higher cost for our freedom, from the Founding Fathers to the men and women who serve in our armed forces. I alone can only do so much, but am still responsible to do what I can to and be obedient where God is calling me. But if we stand together, with God's providence, I believe we can lead the way as a nation of freedom and break the chains of tyranny around the world.

I appreciate your prayers in all of this! May God give us the courage in all circumstances to stand for what is right, and may we be a light to a world with so much darkness!

With Firm Reliance on Divine Providence,
Cindy

Mitt Romney To Announce He Is Out Of The 2016 Presidential Race - For Now?

Mitt Romney, a man known for changing his mind a lot, will announce that he

will not be running for President in 2016.

Romney made numerous statements in 2013 and 2014 to the media and talks shows, including Jimmy Fallon that he was not going to run for president.    However Romney upended the 2016 GOP race when he told a small group of donors on Jan. 9 that he was seriously considering a third presidential bid.

Romney is set to tell his donors in a conference call later today that "After putting considerable thought into making another run for president, I've decided it is best to give other leaders in the party the opportunity to become our next nominee."

A Romney aide confirmed the 2012 presidential nominee's decision and requested anonymity before the announcement is made. Romney's prepared remarks were posted on Twitter by conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt and confirmed by the Romney aide.

One has to wonder if he will jump back in later?

As a side note Romney's niece Ronna Romney McDaniel is running for the Republican Party Chairmanship in Michigan.  Many are wondering how much of a role Mitt Romney will play in the states politics.  Ronna Romney McDaniel has been involved in Michigan politics over the last several years after returning from California.  

Too Young To Be Youth Chair: Will The Michigan Republican Party Disqualify Joey Gamrat

Joey Gamrat is the son of Cindy Gamrat, the new State Representative in the 80th District.  Joey  served as her

Campaign Manager during the 2014 election cycle as well as other races across the state including this last election he  also served on Ron Weiser’s campaign for University of Michigan Regent.

However even though Joey has experience beyond many 17 year olds his age, he can not get around his age.  Joey will  not be able to register to vote until May 6th of this year as he will not turn 18 until July 3rd of this year and the Michigan legislature has deemed May 5th as the next election date.  Joey will be unable to participate in this election as he will not be a registered voter.

 The Michigan Republican Party policy committee has deemed that Joey is ineligible because the bylaws state that a party officer must be a registered voter, which Joey is not and cannot be till May 6.

 Joey said “ The bylaws are silent however on the qualifications to run and be elected. So theoretically I should be able to run, win the election, but then wait until May 6 to be seated”

The big question; will he be allowed to run?

Race For Michigan Republican Chair: Dr Kimberbly Shmina Is In

Earlier today Dr. Kimberly Shmina of Fair Haven, Michigan announced that she is now an official candidate for Michigan Republican Party Chair as Bobby Schostak announced that he is not running

Dr. Kimberly Shmina

for a third term.

Dr. Shmina previously ran in a hard fought school board race in Algonac where her goal was to curb the out of control spending and to fight the introduction of Common Core curriculum into the Algonac school district.

On her website  Dr. Kimberly Shmina says "In running for party chairperson, my main goal is to use a team approach to heal and grow our party in a manner that is inclusive and builds on the strengths of all of our members. It is a time for unity in order to ensure that strong conservatives are elected. I believe I am the leader who can help transform our party."

Dr. Shmina joins Ronna Romney McDaniel - a long time party activist, formerState Committee Woman, current Republican National Committee Woman and niece of  former Presidential candidate Mitt Romney, 

Also being mentioned in being interested or encouraged to run include, former Senatorial Candidate Terry Lynn Land who ran in 2010 before dropping out and endorsing  Bobby Schostak,  former MSU Trustee candidate Jeff Sakwa, current 14th District Chairman and long time party operative Paul Welday,  Kent County GOP Chair Dave Dishaw , Pete Lund and term linted but very conservative State Representative Tom McMillin.  However it has only been reported that Pete Lund and Tom McMillin have come out publicly about considering a run for State Chair.  Will they jump in after the first of the year?  

The Race For Michigan Republican Chair: Who Else Is In?

After current Chairman Bobby Schostak announced that he will not run for a third term, current Michigan National Committeewoman and Mitt Romney's niece, Ronna Romney McDaniel announced that she was running for Republican State Chair.

Now additional names are being mentioned.

Pete Lund

Pete Lund  is currently a term limited State Representative for Michigan’s 36th district has publicly stated “If he’s (Bobby Schostak) out, I’m probably in.. “I’m talking to people hypothetically about things, and I feel very good about the response.”  As State Rep. , Pete Lund was selected to head the House Republican Campaign Review Task Force, a precursor to being selected as Chairman of the House Republican Campaign Committee.

A sponsored advertisement, in which Pete mention's his consideration if Bobby Schostak doesn't run,is currently running on Facebook which gives indication that Pete is ready to jump in

Another Candidate Kimberly Shmina  of Fair Haven (St. Clair County) has formed an exploratory committee.  

Kimberly & Michael Shmina

Kimberly is married to Michael Shmina who in 2010 ran for State Representative against and lost to Andrea La Fountain in Michigan’s 32nd district. Kimberly most recently ran for the Algonac School Board (St. Clair County).  

Kimberly Shmina say’s “  I am very conservative and my primary goal would be to help unite the

party using our conservative principles and to encourage teamwork and open and honest expression! I cannot stand the direction our country , state and communities are now headed. It seems freedom too often takes a back seat to the needs of special interests and the vocal minority”

Also being mentioned in being interested or encouraged to run include, former Senatorial Candidate Terry Lynn Land who ran in 2010 before dropping out and endorsing  Bobby Schostak,  former MSU Trustee candidate Jeff Sakwa, current 14th District Chairman and long time party operative Paul Welday,  Kent County GOP Chair Dave Dishaw and term linted but very conservative State Representative Tom McMillin. 

Candidate Announces She Is Running For Republican Party Chair

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Bobby Schostak To Not Seek Re-election As Michigan Republican Party Chair.

Bobby Schostak is stepping down as Michigan Republican Chair and will not run for a third term.

 Below is his announcment :

What a great year!

 This year's historic victory was made possible by the dedication and determination of our candidates, volunteers and staff, and the tremendous generosity of our donors. It was hard work and a lot of late nights for many of us, but we kept our state headed in the right direction.
 This has been a long journey that started after the 2012 election. We set out to redefine the way elections are run, and won. We invested early in technology and volunteer recruitment. We ran aggressive political, fundraising and communications programs to support our candidates in every possible way. Our approach led to a record-breaking number of voter contacts and dollars raised.
 We returned Governor Snyder, Secretary Johnson and Attorney General Schuette to office, and we gave them historic majorities in the State House and Senate. We retained our conservative majority on the Michigan Supreme Court, and we returned nine Republicans to the U.S. House of Representatives.
 This grassroots committee is like no other in the nation, and I am humbled by the unyielding support we have received. I can't tell you how proud I am of all that we accomplished together, the hard work and determination of our volunteers and candidates, and the groundwork we laid for 2016.
 Those before me paved the road for a Michigan Republican Party that I have had the privilege to navigate these last four years.
 Today, our committee is the gold standard of Republican state committees across the country and well positioned for the future. As a result, I feel now is the time to turn the mantle over to the next great leader to take this organization to the next level as I focus on helping Republicans in Michigan and across the country in new ways.
 I look forward to being a part of political discussions and engagement in Michigan and beyond in the coming months and years. With our collective efforts, Michigan will continue to be led by solid conservative Republican leaders for generations to come.
 Thank you again for your friendship and support as we venture ahead together to build on our most recent successes in Michigan and beyond.
   Regards,

Bobby Schostak
Chairman of the Michigan Republican Party