Update from the Michigan Republican Party

UPDATE from the Michigan Republican Party

TO: Michigan, National Political Reporters & Editors

FROM: Bill Nowling, Communications Director (517) 487-5473

DATE: Nov. 9, 2007

RE: Michigan Presidential Primary Status & Options

I just wanted to take a few minutes to give you an update on where things stand with regard to Michigan’s Jan. 15, 2008 presidential primary. As you might know, the Michigan Senate last night passed legislation to address concerns raised by Ingham County Circuit Court Judge William Collette about the constitutionality of certain portions of the law that created the presidential primary. Democrats, in a purely partisan move, refused to put up the necessary votes to give this legislation immediate effect. (In the Michigan Senate, Republicans hold a 21-17 majority and 26 votes are required to give any measure immediate effect.)

Democrats have decided to hold Michigan’s primary hostage in an effort to create political leverage. They are looking to use the primary as “trading bait” on a whole host of Democrat pet projects that have nothing to do with the presidential primary. It is unfortunate that Democrats are playing political games at the expense of the voice of the people of Michigan, but it is not unexpected. A small, but vocal minority within the Michigan Democratic Party has been working for months behind the scenes to scuttle this primary. Michigan Republicans anticipated that Democrats would attempt an eleventh-hour ploy to derail the primary, and that is why our State Committee voted in August to create a contingency plan to apportion delegates through a state convention. The Michigan Republican Party today has begun the steps of implementing this back-up plan, which has been submitted and accepted by the Republican National Committee. (A copy of the plan is attached.)

It is our belief that a joint presidential primary on Jan. 15, 2008 remains possible. The vast majority of Republicans and Democrats support it. We only hope that the small cadre of recalcitrant Democrats holding Michigan’s primary hostage will drop their partisan ploy to horse-trade it for other items on their political agenda. Michigan Republicans recognize how important holding a presidential primary on Jan. 15, 2008 is to Michigan both in terms of attracting attention from candidates, but, more importantly, in framing the debate around issues affecting our economy and state. That said, however, Michigan Republicans never would trade bad public policy for good.

Should the Jan. 15, 2008 presidential primary not come to pass, Michigan Republicans will hold a state convention on Jan. 25-26, 2008 at a location to be determined for the purpose of apportioning its delegates to the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Under this scenario, National Delegates would be apportioned in the following manner:

State Convention Delegates from each Congressional District will meet in caucuses on Jan. 25, 2008 and hold a presidential preference vote by secret paper ballot. The Republican presidential candidate who receives the most votes in the presidential preference vote for a Congressional District will receive three National Convention delegates and three alternates from that district. District caucuses then will elect National Convention delegates and alternates that are allocated to that presidential candidate. (Michigan will apportion 45 National Convention delegates under this plan; three for each of the state’s 15 Congressional Districts.)

At the State Convention meeting on Jan. 26, 2008, State Convention delegates will vote on the slate of At-Large National Convention delegates and alternates. At-Large National Convention delegates will be allocated to Republican presidential candidates based on the percentage of the total raw votes cast in all 15 Congressional District caucuses on Jan. 25, 2008. A presidential candidate must receive at least 15 percent of the votes cast in order to be allocated At-Large National Convention delegates under this formula. (Michigan will apportion 12 At-Large National Convention delegates under this plan. Michigan’s three RNC members are automatically delegates to the National Convention.)

# # #