The co-chairwoman of the Michigan Republican Party privately told supporters last month that the party’s long-established donors would rather “lose this whole state” than help GOP candidates because they “hate” former President Donald Trump.
Michigan GOP co-chair Meshawn Maddock and her husband, state Rep. Matt Maddock, R-Milford, two faithful Trump supporters, gave their frank analysis of this year’s campaign and criticized an array of GOP officials at a post-election strategy meeting on Nov. 21 with Wayne County Republican insiders, according to a recording obtained by The Detroit News.
Their remarks pointed to persisting divisions within the Michigan Republican Party about the future and to the historic losses the GOP suffered in the Nov. 8 election. Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer won a second term over Republican Tudor Dixon by nearly 11 percentage points while Democrats scored majorities in the state House and Senate for the first time in 40 years. . . .
The Republicans at the Nov. 21 strategy session in Wayne County tied their electoral losses to money, absentee ballots, women voters and a lack of effort from GOP leaders.
Cathryn Neracher, an unsuccessful Republican candidate for the state House, called on party members to stop fighting with each other. She also said single women overwhelmingly favored Democrats in the November election.
She added, according to the recording, “Single, college–educated White women are destroying this country. The research that we have done has proven that.”
Neracher, who didn’t respond to a request for comment, said during the session, the party needs more money, more volunteers, better data, better organization and better messaging. She suggested advancing ballot proposals to spur GOP turnout, referencing Democrat-backed measures, like a constitutional amendment to protect abortion rights this fall.
“How about (we) make the state income tax 1%? Why not? … Young people love free stuff,” said Neracher, according to the recording.
Michigan’s income tax is currently 4.25%.