‘America First’ Republicans will send delegates to state convention
HILLSDALE — Despite a court injunction and a ruling from Michigan GOP Chair Ron Weiser, Hillsdale County’s America First Republicans will send a slate of delegates to the Michigan GOP convention Feb. 17-18.
On Thursday, Jan. 26, the America First Republicans — who controlled the Hillsdale County Republican Party starting in 2020 until they were ousted at the August 2022 primary election — convened for a county convention separate from a majority of the precinct delegates who held a county convention across town.
Out of dozens of precinct delegates, only 14 attended the America First convention; those in attendance included Hillsdale County Commissioner Steve Lanius and former HCRP executive committee members Jon Smith and Lance Lashaway.
Around two dozen others attended the America First convention without voting power.
After 40 minutes of administrative tasks, laying the foundation of the convention and going over changes issued by the Michigan GOP, the group collectively determined a slate of 13 precinct delegates and 13 alternates to attend February’s state convention.
“It’s going to be contentious,” said Jon Smith, a candidate for the 5th Congressional District’s chair within the Michigan GOP.
The plan is to challenge the Leininger faction’s slate of candidates on the floor during the convention, similarly to what was done with two fighting factions from Macomb County at the August 2022 state convention where America First delegates were ultimately seated.
More:MIGOP chair sides with Leininger faction in local party rift
Smith encouraged all of the delegates to especially attend Feb. 17 and to arrive early, as they will be voting on the 5th Congressional District Chair position that night.
“You also need to prepare to be there all day Saturday if you’re going,” Smith said.
The group collectively touched base on its plan to present its side of the ruptured rift within the local party to the Michigan GOP’s credentialing committee, as they felt Weiser made a hasty decision when siding with the Leininger faction without taking the facts to the committee for consideration.
The rift between the two factions became evident Aug. 11, 2022, when Leininger’s faction and dozens of newly elected precinct delegates from the Aug. 2, 2022, primary election were barred from entering the county convention held at Sozo Church.
On Aug. 25, 2022, days before the state’s convention, Leininger’s faction convened its own meeting and elected a temporary executive committee to serve through the end of the year, ousting Wiseley and the America First faction, who dismissed the Leininger faction’s actions that day as unlawful.
During the August 2022 Michigan GOP convention, Weiser sided with the America First Republicans, but changed course Dec. 28 when he authored a three-page letter explaining his decision to side with the Leininger faction.
More:Despite court order, two Republican factions hold conflicting conventions in Hillsdale
More:Despite calls for unity, 2 Republican factions claim control of local party
“The Michigan GOP has thoroughly reviewed this matter and in light of the supermajority of precinct delegates and elected officials from Hillsdale County who once again were forced to attend an alternate convention after being refused entry to Mr. (Daren) Wiseley’s convention … the Michigan Republican Party acknowledges Brent Leininger and his executive committee as the newly elected leadership of the Hillsdale Republican Party,” Weiser stated.
The America First Republicans contend that they never refused any of the Leininger faction’s delegates entry into their November county convention and went out of their way to invite them to work together.
“We extended that olive branch,” said the newly appointed America First chair, David Mosby Jr.
More:Hillsdale County GOP feud lands in court after dueling factions claim control
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Lenawee County Circuit Judge Michael Olsaver granted a preliminary injunction order Nov. 15, 2022, in favor of Leininger’s faction, barring Wiseley or any of the other America First executive committee leadership from conducting business as the Hillsdale County Republican Party.
Despite the court’s ruling, both the America First and Leininger faction convened separate conventions in November to elect new executive committee members as required by law.
Wiseley was ultimately replaced by Mosby, who was served with his own court summons in the ongoing rift.
Wiseley and the original executive committee members are now due in court Thursday, Feb. 2, for allegedly violating the court’s injunction. Mosby and the new officers of the America First Republicans have been added to the lawsuit and served but have yet to have their day in court.
In separate interviews with Smith — who maintains relationships with other Michigan Republicans such as outgoing Michigan GOP Co-Chair Meshawn Maddock and State Rep. Steve Carra — he indicated rifts are mounting in local county parties across the state.
In West Michigan's Ottawa County, members of the county GOP sued the executive committee in December, forcing the group to redo its convention, after a circuit court judge agreed that the group didn't follow its own bylaws.
America First Republicans have taken over leadership in Jackson County, Lenawee County, Macomb County and elsewhere throughout the state, working toward a united agenda to oust more moderate Republicans from the party who, according to America First members, do not hold true to the party values, Smith said.
— Corey Murray is the Public Safety Reporter for The Hillsdale Daily News, Sturgis Journal and The Daily Reporter. Contact him by email atcmurray@hillsdale.net or follow him on Twitter: @cmurrayHDN.