Michigan GOP votes to remove chairwoman as she promises not to accept result

LANSING, Mich. (WPBN/WGTU) — A group of Michigan Republicans met Saturday and voted to remove the state's GOP chairwoman as she says she will not accept the final result of the vote.

The Associated Press reports Kristina Karamo was not in attendance at the meeting and has made it clear she wouldn't recognize the vote if removed, calling the gathering “illegal” in a recent podcast posted on the Michigan GOP website.

Eight of the state GOP's 13 congressional district chairs called on Karamo to resign last week.

The county chairs don't have the ability to vote, but they do have an opinion on party members' decisions to organize the meeting.

Mark Smith, the Benzie County GOP chair, said he believes the meeting is a distraction. He explained that since the party chose Karamo during their convention, that decision should stick.

"We worked really hard to get our representatives on that first district committee," said Smith. "I have not talked to Sue directly, but we are encouraging them through letters and through calls to support our position and not fall under that false pretense that Kristina needs to go. We voted for her, and we like her. If they want to do that at the next convention sure but leave us alone right now. We got work to do."

Smith said most county chairs are trying not to get in the middle of things and focus on the needs of their county.

WPBN/WGTU reached out to Karamo for her thoughts. She did not respond to requests for comment.