Question 1): How did Michigan Republicans fare at their state endorsement convention in Novi last Saturday (March 28)? Did they enhance their chances of victory in the November 3 general election?
Answer 1): They avoided their debacle at the 2022 conclave, but their nominees this time for a plethora of offices still face an uphill struggle in the fall as they run as Republicans led by an increasingly unpopular president, Donald Trump. Unless Trump’s standing with the electorate improves dramatically, or the party’s two nominees for Governor and U.S. Senator at the top of the ticket (to be determined in the 8/4 GOP primary) perform unexpectedly well, all Republicans will be running at a distinct disadvantage.
Specifically, Republicans dodged a bullet when they rejected candidates with skimpy qualifications or personal baggage. Instead, they endorsed candidates for the only two contested offices — Secretary of State and Attorney General — that have a fighting chance to win in November. They are, respectively, Macomb County Clerk Anthony (Tony) FORLINI and Eaton Co. Prosecuting Attorney Doug Lloyd.
Forlini, who previously served as a state Representative, was in a three-person party race for SoS with Monica YATOOMA – a critic of Michigan’s elections systems and the deputy chief executive officer of Metro Detroit Medical Waste – and Amanda LOVE, who was an assistant to previous Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land. Forlini received 55.19% of the vote, Yatooma gained 25.36 %, and Love finished with 19.45 %.
For A.G., Lloyd defeated Birmingham attorney Kevin KIJEWSKI, 63.2% to 36.8%, or by 531 votes.
For two seats on the Michigan Supreme Court, the delegates supported Oakland Co. 6th Circuit Court Judge Michael Warren and Oscoda County Probate Judge Casandra Morse-Bills. They’ll challenge two Democratic-nominated justices with the incumbency designation beneath their names on the ballot: Justice Megan Cavanagh and Justice Noah Hood. Democrats currently have a 6-1 majority on the court.
Republicans also endorsed activist and small business owner Bree Moeggenberg of Mount Pleasant and financial analyst Terence Collins of Grosse Pointe Park for two seats on the State Board of Education.
For two seats on the Michigan State University Board of Trustees, the delegates backed term-limited state Sen. Roger Victory of Hudsonville and former Novi City Council member Julie Maday, who narrowly lost a bid for the MSU panel in 2024.
For two seats on the University of Michigan Board of Regents, they supported Lena Epstein, co-owner of Vesco Oil Corporation and a former U.S. House candidate from Bloomfield Hills, and Michael Schostak, a Bloomfield Township treasurer and cousin of former state GOP chairman Bobby Schostak.
The Republicans also chose Andy Anuzis of Brighton and Christa Murphy of Troy for two seats on the Wayne State University Board of Governors. Anuzis, a longtime party activist and scion of the state’s Lithuanian community, is the principal of Lincoln-King High School, and Murphy is on the board of directors at Vibe Credit Union.
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Nice column, Bill. I don’t know most of these people, so I will defer to your assessment.
I do find their choices kind of interesting. Having chased away the “crazies” or “extremists” from the nominations by selecting folks more amenable to the “establishment” wing of the GOP, it will be interesting to see if the donor class that sat out 2022 will do the same in 2026. If they do, then the rank and file of the GOP will know that the donor class has well and truly abandoned them. And should the abandoned ever gain office, they need to remember you have two choices once elected. You can either hold office or hold power. It may be time for them to choose power over office and remember that the tax code is not just a tool, but a weapon.
The donor class is KEY to a GOP victory this fall for both Doug and Tony.
The unpopular Iran war may sink GOP nominees in the mid-terms – a lot here has to do WHO Michigan Democrats nominate at their upcoming delegate convention.
Garlin Gilchrist has the backing of progressives, the Arab-American and black Democrats as well as being the biggest fundraiser in the SOS race by far – while Ms. Byrum is backed by Lansing Dem insiders.
Anthony Forlini will easily defeat either Byrum or Gilchrist in Macomb County – and Forlini will likely win the outstate vote – but Wayne and Oakland counties will go to the Dems without question.
Doug Lloyd will have to get substantial campaign funding to prevail over the well-funded Karen McDonald – who will easily defeat Eli Savit at the Dem convention.
Michigan Advance ran a story yesterday about State Rep. Matt Maddock of Milford taking exception to the Rank MI Vote committee volunteers who set up a table at the Novi convention:
‘Rank MI Vote says Matt Maddock threatened volunteers at Michigan GOP endorsement convention’
By Ben Solis – March 31, 2026
““….Ranked Choice Voting is a nonpartisan reform that gives more choice and more voice to all voters,” said Pat Zabawa, Executive Director of Rank MI Vote, in a news release.
Zabawa noted that the Republican Party’s convention nominating process is similar to ranked choice voting in that it requires rounds of voting until a candidate with the support of a majority of delegates is found…..”
I was at the convention and taken aback by the fact that Rank MI Vote was at thisRepublican convention given their primary supporters are Democratic Party insiders.
Ranked Choice Voting is a nonpartisan reform that gives more choice and more voice to all voters,” said Pat Zabawa, Executive Director of Rank MI Vote, in a news release
Non-partisan, yes – but few GOP activists support the notion of ranked-choice voting.
Kind of like seeing pro-choice Republicans – they exist but do not use the GOP as their voice.
The Michigan Supreme Court will hear the lawsuit filed by the State Senate against the State House of Representatives over the bills that never reached the governor’s desk after they passed the Legislature at the end of the 2024 session. The Democratic Party adjunct scheduled the case for May 6th ot 7th.
Former Michigan Democratic Party chairman Mark Brewer shall argue the cause for the Plaintiffs in the action.
The Separation of Powers doctrine is expected to be a key bone of contention to be argued in the appeal.