Every two years, Michigan Republicans gather on Mackinac Island to hear from state and national party leaders as they gear up for the next election cycle -- an event that’s proven key for some gubernatorial candidates. But candidate Garrett Soldano, the party’s current fundraising leader, won’t be attending.
He’s a political newcomer with grassroots clout and views the conference as being for the political elite.
“I’m not part of the establishment. I’m part of the people,” Soldano said in an interview earlier this month, citing the high price of hotels on the island as one sign of who attends the conference.
Michigan Republican Party External Affairs Director Sarah Anderson said “The grassroots are a large reason we hold this event—it is an opportunity for them to hear from our policy and decision makers about the best path forward for our state and our country, as well as a great time to network, communicate, and spend tome together.”
She said the party is still working on its “straw poll,” a survey of attendees the party typically partners with a news organization on. The straw poll usually includes questions that end up ranking primary candidates for an important office.
The non-scientific poll doesn’t always predict who ultimately wins -- for example, in 2015 those polled picked Rand Paul out of the field of then-presidential candidates. But in 2009 it did pick Rick Snyder, who went on to become governor, and in 2017 it picked Bill Schuette, who got the nomination but lost to Gov. Gretchen Whtimer.
As a rule, the party doesn’t get involved in primaries. But Soldano sees the party as favoring one candidate.
“I think the party’s actions have been crystal clear, they are pushing another typical politician. And I don’t see how the party straw poll won’t be rigged,” Soldano said.
He didn’t name names, but former Detroit Police Chief James Craig is widely considered a frontrunner in the party’s primary.
Craig will attend the event, a spokesperson said. Same for candidates Michael Brown, Articia Bomer, Ryan D. Kelley, Bob Scott and Austin Chenge.
Tudor Dixon plans to attend, but a spokesperson said she would not participate in a straw poll due to concerns it would be rigged.
The only candidate who did not respond to questions about whether he planned to attend was Ralph Rebrandt.
Bomer, who recently filed a candidate committee, described herself as coming from the grassroots. But she respects the Michigan GOP, she said, and particularly party Vice-Chair Meshawn Maddock, who came from grassroots activism herself.
“If I’m invited somewhere for gubernatorial candidates, guess what miss, I’m attending,” Bomer said.
The conference takes place Sept. 24-26 on Mackinac Island. Keynote speakers include RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel; U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas; South Dakota Gov. Kristy Noem and U.S. Sen. Lindsay Graham, R- South Carolina.
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