On the weekend of April 27, former President Donald Trump held a rally in Macomb County, Michigan. The purpose of the rally was to increase the chances of winning for a number of MAGA-friendly candidates in the November 2022 election.
Michigan is an important and easily winnable place for the GOP. It could put a presidential contender over the top; however, it is awash with scandals in Democratic areas, so much so that it appears that the actual voting takes place after the polling booths have closed, which recounts have proved.
It’s not certain that Donald Trump’s showing up in Michigan is connected with the retirement announcement of Congressman Fred Upton on Tuesday. Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), one of the longest-tenured Republicans in the House of Representatives, has chosen to retire instead of run as a candidate for reelection in 2022.
Upton was among 10 House Republicans who supported impeaching then-President Donald Trump in January 2021. In a statement, Upton said that “our country cannot and will not tolerate any effort by any president to impede the peaceful transfer of power.” Upton is the fourth of the infamous ten House Republicans who voted for impeachment and who will retire, along with Reps. Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH), John Katko (R-NY) and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), who are also stepping down from Congress.
Upton did not seem to care that his district was split by redistricting; however, both maps show the district having an advantage of R+9. Upton had raised a significant amount of funds, but he would be in a race against Trump-endorsed Rep. Bill Huizenga, an angry electorate, and an unsatisfactory voting performance. Instead of fighting, Upton is retiring and moving on.
Along with Upton, two other Vichy Republicans, Liz Cheney (R-WY) and Peter Meijer (R-MI), are dead in the political sea. In Wyoming, the GOP has disowned Liz Cheney. In Michigan, Peter Meijer is heading towards an important loss in his primary race against the Trump-sponsored John Gibbs.
The more the media questions President Trump’s influence in the GOP and forecasts a division between the two sections, the more Trump is proven to be right. There's a good chance that he'll contribute to the defeat of all House Republicans who voted to impeach him. This will influence the direction of the 2024 election.
