When the Michigan Republican Party held its convention in Grand Rapids on Saturday, April 23, two of the far-right "Stop the Steal" extremists who were featured were Matt DePerno (who is running for Michigan attorney general) and Michigan secretary of state candidate Kristina Karamo — both of whom former President Donald Trump has endorsed. Never Trump conservative Amanda Carpenter, in an article published by The Bulwark on April 25, warns that democracy will suffer in Michigan if either DePerno or Karamo is elected in the 2022 midterms.
"Reasonable people would have to hope DePerno and Karamo get blown out in the general election and are never heard from again," Carpenter argues. "Their outlandish insistence that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump has led to considerable fractures within the Michigan Republican Party. As such, they're viewed as longshots who will be unable to unite the party, win over independents, and beat the incumbent Democrats, Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson."
Carpenter continues, "That said, DePerno and Karamo were never really considered serious candidates, yet they managed to clinch their races, thanks to Trump's backing. And in a midterm year in which Democrats are struggling nationally, it would be unwise to write off any of these races."
AG candidate Matt DePerno gets big applause on stage with Mike Lindell at Michigan GOP endorsement convention. pic.twitter.com/pSlrh2cbdE
— Jonathan Oosting (@jonathanoosting) April 23, 2022
Our Michiganders first stance helped us secure the Republican Party endorsement, and I am beyond grateful for everyone who shared a social media post, purchased a bumper sticker, hosted an event, made a phone call, etc. Thank you. Now it’s time for round 2! Let’s save our state! pic.twitter.com/s95lHFC6QE
— Kristina Karamo (@KristinaKaramo) April 25, 2022
DePerno and Karamo, Carpenter notes, "became 'Stop the Steal' stars in the contentious period after November 3, 2020, making a name for themselves in MAGA circles."
"Unlike in most other states, Michigan Republicans choose their candidates for down-ballot races through an 'endorsement convention' for party delegates rather than a primary election for voters," Carpenter explains. "It was that endorsement convention that was held in Grand Rapids this weekend. Pending any major event, DePerno and Karamo will receive the party's formal nominations in August."
At the Michigan GOP convention on April 23, one of the MAGA Republicans who endorsed DePerno was far-right conspiracy theorist and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell. DePerno, like Karamo, continues to relentlessly promote the Big Lie, falsely claiming that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Trump — and he has promised to jail Democratic Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, if elected, for being a part of that conspiracy. Nessel, of course, did no such thing.
Marxist AG Nessel said "if I am replaced by Matthew DePerno, democracy falls in Michigan. Not maybe. Not possibly. Certainly." Nessel is afraid bc when I'm elected, she'll go from wearing business suits to orange jumpsuits!
— Matthew S. DePerno, Esq. (@mdeperno) January 6, 2022
TAP HERE to get rid of Nessel! 👉https://t.co/qkIw1gjkaa pic.twitter.com/wP3jzypEi5
In her podcast, Karamo called self “anti-vaxxer,” opposed teaching of evolution in schools, likened abortion to human sacrifice and said LGBT people and those who have sex outside of marriage “violate God's creative design” and are indicative of a culture of “sexual brokenness.” https://t.co/t1plaqFIzL
— Jonathan Oosting (@jonathanoosting) April 24, 2022
Spoke with @guardian's @Edpilkington about how Michigan secretary of state candidate Kristina Karamo is one of multiple political candidates who have appealed to the QAnon community for political gain. https://t.co/lT3FJ7UoMk
— Alex Kaplan (@AlKapDC) April 1, 2022
Karamo is as unhinged as DePerno. Carpenter notes that Karamo "supported Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's efforts to cancel votes in the swing states Trump lost; said it was 'Antifa posing as Trump supporters' who were responsible for the violence on January 6th; attended a QAnon convention; and went to Arizona to support 'audit' leaders such as Wendy Rogers."
Carpenter writes, "This, mind you, is the person Republicans want to be Michigan's top elections official…. Michigan Democrats are eager to point to Karamo's comments that police officers and others who testified to the House January 6th Committee were 'actors and actresses,' that Republicans who don't support her are 'traitors,' and that Democrats are 'Satanic.'"
According to Carpenter, dismissing DePerno and Karamo as "flukes" is dangerous because "Michigan Republicans sought them out and supported them precisely because of their ideas."
"If one MAGA conspiracy theorist were to occupy the state's highest law enforcement office and another were the state's top elections official, it's easy to imagine Republican electoral losses being overturned," Carpenter warns. "The fix would be in."
