Michigan GOP Convention Picks Ticket but Skips 2028 Presidential Outreach
At a Michigan Republican gathering, delegates selected a full state ticket but no presidential hopefuls or campaign activity for 2028 were present.
The Michigan Republican Party convened Saturday, with roughly 2,000 delegates naming a complete statewide ticket that includes Jay DeBoyer for lieutenant governor, Anthony Forlini for secretary of state and Doug Lloyd for attorney general, among others. Observers describe the lineup as the strongest the party has fielded in years, though the candidates will need substantial national fundraising as absentee voting looms.
Notably, the convention featured no representatives of any prospective 2028 Republican presidential candidate, nor any organized effort to lay groundwork for the upcoming primary. The author recalls Mitt Romney’s 2006 Michigan push and suggests that figures such as Ted Cruz, Glenn Youngkin and Ron DeSantis missed a low-cost opportunity to re-engage Michigan voters and signal future ambitions. With Michigan slated for an early February 2028 primary, the lack of outreach could weaken the GOP’s ability to rally the Trump-aligned base while trying to avoid a direct referendum on Donald Trump in November. The piece concludes that the party’s strategic gap may affect both the 2024 Senate race and longer-term presidential calculations.
Why it matters
Michigan’s early primary makes it crucial for GOP presidential hopefuls to build support now, and the convention’s silence could hurt future campaigns.
How this story developed
- Aug 18 Mike Rogers courts Jewish Democratic voters in tight Michigan Senate contest
- Aug 20 A Senate primary debate has been set for September 15.
In this story
Related stories
6 in this thread