Jim Runestad Elected as Michigan Republican Party Chair Amidst Calls for Unity
In a pivotal moment for Michigan’s Republican Party, state Senator Jim Runestad of White Lake has been elected as the new party chair. His campaign emphasized effective fundraising, strategic spending, and mending internal divisions that have recently plagued the party.
Runestad’s victory follows a year marked by friction between grassroots members and the party’s perceived establishment. This discord previously resulted in the ousting of a former party chair. As the new chair, Runestad aims to act as a mediator, fostering dialogue among differing factions within the party.
“A lot of the times you’ll find that they have a reasonable complaint with this group, has a reasonable complaint against that group. That stuff I have done my entire life is get people into a room and have a dialog and say, ‘What is your issue?’ And, a lot of times, you’ll find that they start coming together,” Runestad remarked post-election.
The race, concluding at a convention in Detroit, saw Runestad triumph over former MI GOP co-chair Meshawn Maddock and Joe Cella, a former Ambassador to Fiji. Notably, Maddock had the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, marking the second consecutive cycle where a Trump-endorsed candidate did not secure the chair position. Previously, Trump-backed Matt Deperno was defeated by Kristina Karamo in 2023.
Despite his own history of supporting Trump, Runestad assured there would be no lingering resentment towards those who opposed him. “I’m not going to be holding any vengeance or anger towards anyone, every single person, whether they treated me well or not. I’m going to be outreach to them to try to unify the party. Having fighting within the party is the worst thing that will happen,” he stated.
Runestad’s primary responsibilities will include fundraising and candidate recruitment for the 2026 state elections. Party members like Detroit delegate Patricia Farmer are hopeful that grassroots voices will have more influence in shaping the party’s platform moving forward.
“I would like a more conservative agenda, leadership under a conservative agenda like we see in Trump and a smaller government, and more accountability with taxpayers dollars,” Farmer expressed.
The political landscape in Michigan is gearing up for a significant election year, with numerous key positions, including the governor, secretary of state, attorney general, and an open Supreme Court seat, up for grabs. Furthermore, a U.S. Senate seat and the entire state legislature will also be contested.
Building broad coalitions will be crucial for success in these elections. During the last cycle, Republicans expanded their influence among southeast Michigan’s Arab-American and Black communities. Bernadette Smith, the new co-chair and former ethnic vice chair, played a vital role in these efforts and advocates for outreach that transcends racial and ethnic lines.
“All nationalities come when they hear truth. But reaching out is very important because they don’t know except (if) we go to them. So, I believe in going into that place. And it’s amazing how when we get there, the like, well, there’s no difference between us,” Smith shared.
The convention was held at Huntington Place in Detroit, a venue previously used by Democrats for their spring conventions, and selected by former chair Kristina Karamo. Smith has expressed interest in maintaining Detroit as a future meeting location.
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