Kristina Karamo is refusing to step down as chairwoman of the Michigan GOP after she was officially ousted from the post on Wednesday, following months of strife within the party.
“Ronna McDaniel admitted to me that I’m still legally the chair of the Michigan Republican Party and the RNC has no authority to override the precinct delegates or the state central committee,” Ms. Karamo said in a 10-minute-long video on the Michigan GOP X page Wednesday.
But former Michigan Rep. Pete Hoekstra — who received an endorsement from former President Donald Trump – was chosen to replace her by a special committee created by the Republican National Committee.
In a separate emailed statement, Ms. Karamo’s faction called the ruling against her “biased” and said it “further solidifies our position that the RNC has no authority to override the will of the MIGOP Precinct Delegates and State Committee members. Their blatant disregard for the MIGOP bylaws and procedures is a travesty.”
The statement said that Ms. Karamo will continue to act as chair, and that it’s “business as usual for the Michigan Republican Party.”
Republicans have had problems with Ms. Karamo’s leadership for months, and she was voted out as chair on Jan. 6, with the committee citing fundraising problems and party infighting, among other reasons.
She refused to accept the vote then, calling the meeting illegitimate. Her defiance thrust the party into even more disarray throughout January.
“The committee on contests ruled that it is their belief that Karamo was removed as chair, and it was recommended to the RNC executive committee to ratify Hoekstra as chair,” the RNC said in a statement Wednesday. “The Executive Committee took action [Wednesday] to unanimously ratify Hoekstra as an RNC member as chair.”
In a statement, Mr. Hoekstra called on Ms. Karamo to give up the position.
“Both the RNC and our party’s presumptive nominee Donald Trump, have now both come forward and recognized me as the duly elected Chair of the Michigan Republican Party,” he said in a statement. “It is time for the former chair who was properly removed in accordance with the MIGOP bylaws to end her misinformation campaign and join the fight to re-elect Donald Trump rather than dividing this party.”
Mr. Trump congratulated Mr. Hoekstra on Truth Social and said he looks forward to working with him.
“He is a winner who was a GREAT Congressman from Michigan and, likewise, did a fantastic job as Ambassador to the Netherlands. Pete will make The Republican Party of Michigan GREAT AGAIN, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be its Chairman — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” the former president wrote on Truth Social.
A hearing is pending on a lawsuit over the party’s leadership in Kent County Circuit Court. Ms. Karamo is still listed as chairwoman on the party’s website.