As I mentioned a little over a week ago, the iCaucus of Michigan went through the endorsement process for most of the candidates in the contested races at the Michigan Republican Party State Convention coming up next weekend. Invitations were sent out, questionnaires were completed, interviews were conducted, and endorsement votes were cast. The results, and the press release, follow the break.
Quoting the iCaucus press release in its entirety:
MI Republican State Convention Contested Nominations Endorsements Issued
Cheyenne, WY, Sept. 2, 2012: The Republican candidates running in the contested nominations for their party convention asked for iCaucus to vet them and put it out for an endorsement vote by the citizens they will be nominated to represent. This is the first time the candidates have actively called for a citizen-led endorsement process - vs - that of their party.
The Republican voters have requested their delegates vote for the nomination of these candidates, versus the choice of the Party Elite in Michigan, especially pertaining the upcoming judicial vacancy. The citizen-led endorsements and percentages are as follows:
Michigan Board of Education:
Todd Courser (100% of the vote) & Melanie Kurdys (80% of the vote)
Michigan State University Trustee:
Jeff Sakwa (100% of the vote) & Anne Norlander (66% of the vote)
University of Michigan Regent:
Dr. Rob Steele (94% of the vote) & Dan Horning (70% of the vote)
Michigan State Supreme Court:
Judge Jane Markey (70% of the vote)
The iCaucus Michigan Vetting team wishes to thank all of the candidates and citizens who participated in the process
Just to clear up a technical question, in the three multi-seat races, the vote percentages are relative to the number of voters participating. So Todd Courser and Jeff Sakwa were either the first or second choice of every voter in the caucus. Just so we can have all of the votes out and in the open on the record, the percentages of the endorsement votes for the participating candidates are as follows:
Michigan State Board of Education (two to be nominated):
Todd Courser: 100% of the vote
Melanie Kurdys: 80% of the vote
Nancy Danhoff: 20% of the vote
University of Michigan Board of Regents (two to be nominated):
Rob Steele: CQQ = 94% of the vote
Dan Horning: CQQ = 70% of the vote
Bill Kauffman: CQQ = 35% of the vote
Michigan State University Board of Trustees (two to be nominated):
Jeff Sakwa: 100% of the vote
Anne Norlander: 66% of the vote
Melanie Foster: 32% of the vote
Michigan Supreme Court (vacancy nomination - one to be nominated):
Judge Jane Markey: 70% of the vote
Judge Colleen O'Brien: 30% of the vote
And on at least two of those outcomes, the results fly directly in the face of what the party elites are trying to shove down the grassroots' throats at the state convention. And if the tea party movement can coalesce in time, then we have the potential for another surprise outcome one Saturday hence.
