Carl Defeats "Kahn Artist" For Trump Delegate Spot In Heated 4th District Battle

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com)

Saginaw County GOP Chair Amy Carl prevailed over former State Senator Roger Kahn in the 4th Congressional District Trump delegate election in what was easily the weekend's most watched race in the battle for delegates to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

Kahn won a tight victory on the first ballot, 48-45, but on the 2nd ballot, the 4th rallied around Carl.

"Even though I was the actual "winner" of the 4th District Trump Delegate race, I was completely focused on winning to serve the voters," Carl tells WMP. 

Carl knew beating Kahn-who hired a consultant for the race- wouldn't be easy.

"I knew it would be an incredibly tough race since I have worked for Senator Kahn for many years, and the fact that he is so well known in our district," Carl said. "So I did my homework and reached out to as many voters as I could. I wanted them to know my platform for running and answer any questions they had. I knew in my heart what my intentions were going to be if I were elected, and wanted the voters to know as well."

Carl was nervous as she waited for the final results.

"It was an extremely nerve racking day especially waiting for the vote total of the second vote," Carl said. "But I knew I had did the best I could, and that's all you can do in a race like that. The thought of serving the will of the people and being the best representative for Mr Trump never left my mind. It was thrilling to win, but seeing the happiness in my constituent's faces after I won was certainly the best part of the whole night! They trust me to do a great job for them in Cleveland, and I plan on doing that exactly that!"

The Detroit News described the situation this way:

"In mid-Michigan's 4th Congressional District, former state Sen. Roger Kahn of Saginaw County was seeking to become a Trump delegate.

Kahn’s candidacy drew suspicions from conservative blogger Brandon Hall, who called the former two-term senator is a “Kahn artist” trying to “hijack” a Trump position. But Kahn maintained he fashioned himself after Trump — a politician who sometimes “trips on his tongue.”

But the 4th District caucus on Friday night elected Saginaw GOP Chairwoman Amy Carl over Kahn as a Trump delegate. Carl this week posted to Facebook a signed pledge vowing to support the New York businessman “on every ballot” at the national convention."

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Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com

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Photo By Darlene Dowling Thompson

Yob Beats Amash In Crucial Cleveland Credentials Committee Vote

Chuck Yob, left, with Jessica Jeurink (DarKen Photography)

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com)

Renowned political operative Chuck Yob, the former RNC Committeeman for Michigan, beat out popular Congressman Justin Amash for a spot on the prestigious Credentials Committee for the Republican National Convention in Cleveland during last weekend's MIGOP Convention in Lansing.

Yob is an at-large Kasich delegate, Amash an at-large Cruz delegate.

John Yob

According to The Detroit News:

"Cruz’s campaign was especially irked because former Republican National Committeeman Chuck Yob, a Kasich delegate, was elected to the convention Credentials Committee over Congressman Justin Amash, an at-large Cruz delegate."

The win was the result of his son, political consultant John Yob, working hard behind the scenes to assure Chuck Yob's big win over Amash.

Yob, recently in the spotlight for his book on what things in Cleveland may look like, is currently in the midst of some heated convention drama of his own.

After successfully winning a delegate position in his new home, the US Virgin Islands, controversy and establishment game- playing ensued, with status quo forces in the USVI unsuccessfully attempting to remove Yob as a delegate.

Stay tuned...

Rep. Amash

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Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com

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Trump Scores HUGE Win In Michigan, Shuts Out Cruz From Key Cleveland Committee Spots After Failed Hijacking

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com)

The Cruz campaign says they were "double crossed" by Kasich at the Michigan Republican Convention after their deal to team up evidently fell through at the last minute.

So... evidently they were plotting to "double cross" the voters of Michigan and subvert the will of the people who voted in *record* numbers for Donald J. Trump? And now it's a major problem things didn't turn out as planned?? 

NUTS!

Also:

Colorado and Missouri went quite well for Cruz, but blowing the expectations game in Michigan gave Trump a fantastic earned media story to be able to add to the talking point spin list and ignore what Cruz did elsewhere.

By crying about the results of the meeting and giving the story more credibility, they played into the hands of their opponents, made the story even bigger, and turned a poor performance into an unmitigated disaster.

>>>The best quote about everything may have come from Kasich campaign consultant John Weaver, responding to a series of feisty tweets from Saul.

"“Cruz leadership broke word in Michigan, got greedy & tried 2 screw everyone. Lost all. Rule: pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered. #Cleveland.”

According to the Detroit News:

"Saul Anuzis, a co-chair of Cruz’s Michigan campaign, said his team worked out a deal with the Kasich campaign before the delegate meeting to neutralize the Trump delegation’s advantage.

“We had agreed with the Kasich people to support one another’s delegates on the committee because Trump had the ability to take all of the seats,” Anuzis said.

The Kasich delegation’s decision to team up with Trump’s supporters was “completely unannounced,” Anuzis said.

“We got nailed as we came into the meeting,” Anuzis told The Detroit News. “We clearly got double crossed.”

With Trump and Kasich’s people in cahoots, five of the eight committee seats went to Trump delegates, with Kasich’s delegates taking the remaining three seats.

“It was a very good day, a very good weekend, in Michigan for the Donald Trump campaign,” said Scott Hagerstrom, state director of Trump’s Michigan campaign.

Kasich campaign representatives said Saturday the alliance with the Trump campaign was in response to Cruz’s people trying to pick off other candidates’ delegate seats during Friday’s congressional district caucuses.

“Cruz leadership broke word in Michigan, got greedy & tried 2 screw everyone. Lost all. Rule: pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered. #Cleveland,” Kasich’s chief strategist, John Weaver, wrote Saturday on Twitter."

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Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com

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Maddock Proud Of Leadership In 11th District As Caucus Causes Controversy

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com)

Things got feisty in the 11th District Caucus Friday night as multiple delegates walked out after Matt Maddock was elected caucus Chair and it was clear they just couldn't get their way...

According to the Detroit News:

"At least one of the congressional district caucuses got rowdy. In the 11th Congressional District meeting, Matt Maddock, a bail bondsman from Milford, filled the caucus with delegates who identified with his conservative Battlecry Michigan network.

Maddock ordered the sergeant-at-arms to block entry to the caucus room to restore order during the raucous meeting, where several Republicans left early when it was clear Maddock's forces out-numbered the rest of the convention delegates.

"Do not let anyone else in this room unless it's an emergency," he declared.

Maddock's wife, Meshawn, was elected Trump's delegate from the 11th District, which covers part of Metro Detroit. State Sen. Patrick Colbeck of Canton, Cruz's state co-chairman, won the 11th District delegate spot. Tamara Swinson-Carlone of Novi was elected Kasich's 11th District delegate.

Swinson-Carlone said she is a firm Kasich supporter, but doubts he can win the nomination.

"I think his chances are pretty low, ... but we have a job to do at convention," she said."

Maddock tells WMP he is pleased with how he ran the caucus.

"Despite what you may hear from the establishment, we are proud that we ran a fair caucus and always will," Maddock said. "We recognized all their points of order and parliamentary inquires. We not only recognized but voted on every one of their motions-including the frivolous. We allowed them to amend or replace or propose any rules. We allowed them to propose any slate or amend any portion of our slate. We called the question (ended debate) with a 2/3 majority on EVERY motion. They didn't have the votes-we beat them fair and square."

Maddock says organization is key to success.

"Conservative Grassroots Delegates were successful in the Mighty 11th because Team Battle Cry was organized and we worked hard to educate and motivate the conservative delegates," Maddock said. "Another factor that led to a 2 to 1 victory was the anger of the delegates stirred by the elimination of 503 precinct delegates by the Oakland County Chair Theresa Mungoli. The establishments unilateral decision to fire a minimum of 90 active, hard working and engaged delegates did not bode well."

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Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com

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Hagerstrom Announces Formation Of "Michigan Prosperity Project"

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com)

Former AFP-Michigan State Director Scott Hagerstrom, currently the head of GOP Presidential front runner Donald Trump's campaign in Michigan, has announced the formation of a major new group that will be active across the state.

The group, Michigan Prosperity Project, will feature Hagerstrom as President.

According to a press release:

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to continue fighting for the taxpayers of Michigan,” Hagerstrom said. “There’s no question people are upset, angry, and just don’t trust government or politicians to do what is right. But we can leverage that energy to make some very positive changes that will improve the economy for everyone’s benefit.”

>>>View the release below:

April 8, 2016                                                                                                            Contact: Randy L. Wood

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                          

    (517) 391-7923                                                                                     

Hagerstrom Announces Michigan Prosperity Project

LANSING, MI – Longtime grassroots organizer Scott Hagerstrom today announced the formation of a new group called the Michigan Prosperity Project (MPP). Its focus will be advocating for economic opportunity and the principles of free enterprise. The group rolled out three key policy priorities and its website, www.miprosperity.com.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to continue fighting for the taxpayers of Michigan,” said Scott Hagerstrom, president of the Michigan Prosperity Project. “There’s no question people are upset, angry, and just don’t trust government or politicians to do what is right. But we can leverage that energy to make some very positive changes that will improve the economy for everyone’s benefit.”

MPP, which Hagerstrom noted has been actively working behind the scenes for many months, officially launched today with the rollout of its website and three ambitious policy goals: end taxpayer-funded lobbying, cut income taxes and move Michigan to a part-time legislature.

Hagerstrom’s 26-year-long career has been dedicated to keeping government in check. In 2015, he helped deliver a crushing 80-20 defeat to the proposed $1.9 billion sales tax hike on families in his position as Director of Grassroots and Strategic Engagement with the Coalition Against Higher Taxes and Special Interest Deals. Hagerstrom also previously served as Michigan Director of Americans for Prosperity and directed policy for some of Michigan’s leading free-market legislators.

“It’s not enough to work for the principles of free enterprise when it’s convenient or when the political powers that be say we can,” said Hagerstrom. “We have to work for these principles all of the time in order for our message of economic opportunity to reach people.”

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Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com

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Kahn Artist? Former State Senator Posing As Trump Supporter To Hijack Delegate Spot In Cleveland, Sources Say

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com)

Multiple sources tell WMP that despite campaigning to be a delegate in Cleveland for Donald Trump, former State Senator Roger Kahn is attempting to hijack one of Trump's delegate positions.

In an email sent out by Winning Strategies, owned by vehemently Anti-Trump consultant David Forsmark, Kahn points to the reasons he believes he would be a good delegate for Trump in Cleveland... The email is headlined "Send a Patriot to Stump for Trump!"

Sources say Kahn is likely positioning himself to vote for someone like Mitt Romney or Paul Ryan after being bound to Trump on the first ballot.

Know of any funny business in your area? Email WMP! WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com

>>>Read the Kahn email below:

From: Senator Roger Kahn <m32sen@aol.com>

Subject: Senator Roger Kahn for Trump Delegate to National Convention
Reply-To: m32sen@aol.com

Send a Patriot to Stump for Trump! Senator Roger Kahn for Trump Delegate to the Republican National Convention Dear Friend, I am running to become a committed Trump Delegate to the RNC and hope to earn your support. Like Donald Trump, I am a practical conservative and outraged the liberals because I speak my mind. * 8 years in the State Senate. * Appropriations Chair, who for 4 years gave Michigan balanced budgets by June. *Cut over $1 Billion from Granholm budgets *Made politically difficult, but necessary cuts and reforms to the school employees retirement fund and restored its soundness *Wrote legislation to stop lead paint coated toys from entering Michigan from China * Made gang member violent crime an additional felony * Excluded illegal aliens and nonresidents from Michigan Medicaid * Legislation mandating Pledge of Allegiance in Schools * Mandated ONLY American made flags for veterans graves and public buildings * My Tobacco Tax Enforcement Act stops terrorist cigarette smugglers * My Iran Sanctions Act Stops Iran linked business from bidding on state contracts. I want to see state and federal legislation making English the only official language of government and American law the only law used in American courts. I WANT TO HELP DONALD TRUMP RESTORE AMERICA'S GREATNESS!  I NEED AND WANT YOUR VOTE FOR RNC DELEGATE. THANK YOU! ROGER KAHN If you have any questions, please reply to this email and I will be happy to respond to you. STAY CONNECTED:

Winning Strategies, 1849 Lakeview Ln., Highland, MI 48357

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Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com

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2nd District Presidential Delegate Race Forecasts Wild Michigan Convention

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com)

The list of delegates who want to go to Cleveland has been released from the 2nd Congressional District, and it forecasts a wild convention in Lansing next weekend.

Look at the Kasich delegates below, for instance. Seem right to you? I don't support the Governor, but he is entitled to a real delegate, as is Senator Cruz and Mr. Trump.

I have heard that other districts will likely have attendees split into groups based on who they support for President, then those people will decide the delegate for THEIR candidate.

Instead, in the 2nd, all attendees will apparently vote for delegates for all candidates, increasing the possibility for game playing. I hope the rules are changed Friday from the floor to address this issue in the 2nd, and in any other district that attempts something similar.

Each candidate should have a caucus area and the people in that caucus alone should determine their delegate to Cleveland.

Other districts are reportedly also plotting against Trump and Cruz...

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Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com

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Photo By Darlene Dowling Thompson