(Source: MIRS.news, Published 12/12/2022) Former University of Michigan Regent nominee Lena Epstein and Tuscola County Republican Party Chair Billy Putman filed their paperwork to be the next Michigan Republican Party (MRP) Chair, driving the total number of candidates to file up to seven, but it could grow to more.
In related news, The Detroit News reported that former gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon is not going to run for state party chair, leaving the field -- for now -- with Matt DePerno, Kristina Karamo, "Cool" Mike Firage, J.D. Glasier, Kent Boersema, Epstein and Putman.
Other potential candidates include Scott Aughney and former Sen. Tom Barrett, although Barrett said last week he saw a potential bid as "unlikely."
Epstein told the MIRS Monday broadcast that she lost by less than a point in her U of M race while gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon lost by 11 points in the last election, a difference that "set me apart from the pack."
She also noted that she raised more than $1 million in her run, proof that she could raise money and be a unifying force for the MI-GOP in 2023 and 2024.
The MRP failed to raise the $20 million it needed to repeat, Epstein said. The donors were unplugged from the MRP ticket and millions of dollars were left on the table.
Epstein also vowed to stay out of primary fights. In the past, she has supported Donald Trump, serving as his Michigan co-chair for Michigan in 2016.
In 2023 and 2024, "My views on Trump are irrelevant. The state party's job is to raise funds and stay out of hand-picking nominees," Epstein said.
Joining her on the podcast this week was campaign supporter/aide, Ted Goodman, who she called "arguably the top communications expert nationwide for Republicans."
In other news, Putman also joined MIRS Monday for the podcast to talk about his candidacy for the party chair position, which he originally announced in August. He said the Michigan Republican Party chair has been "rudder-less" for "quite some time."
He said the party needs to be "bolder in the message to the liberal agenda or else it will continue to lose to Democrats." In the last two years, he has compiled 900 pages of material to write a book about the MRP and system improvements that he believes would make the party better.
"We are at the bottom and now we need to rebuild," Putman said. "Politics have changed. If we don't get with the times, we're going to be left behind."
Putman was also an early Trump supporter, but that would be secondary in 2024. He would support whoever the delegates selected.
Putman said he also believes many of the functions the MRP pays contractors for out of pocket, for example, could be built within the party.
"If we can keep it simple, we can be financially successful," he said.
