Michigan Republican Party
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The Michigan Republican Party is the state affiliate of the national Republican Party in Michigan. It is sometimes referred to as MIGOP, which simply means Michigan Grand Old Party.
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[edit] Current elected Republicans in Michigan
Saul Anuzis has been Chairman of the Michigan Republican State Committee since February, 2005 winning re-election in February 2007 by unanimous decision. Saul is also the only GOP State chairman to host a party blog [1]. Jane Abraham, is Vice-chairman and wife of former U.S. Senator Spencer Abraham. Its National Committee Members are Chuck Yob and Holly Hughes.
Terri Lynn Land successfully won re-election as Michigan Secretary of State in 2006.
Mike Cox successfully won re-election as Michigan Attorney General in 2006.
- The Michigan State Senate had a Republican majority (21-17) when the 2007 term began with Randy Richardville as President Pro Tempore and Mike Bishop as Majority Leader.
- The Michigan State House of Representatives had a Republican minority (52-58) when the 2007 term began with Craig DeRoche of Novi as House Minority Leader.
[edit] Current Michigan Republicans in U.S. Congress
Nine of fifteen current United States House of Representatives from Michigan are Republican.
| Name | Residence | Current district | Date took office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Hoekstra | Holland | 2nd district | January 5, 1993 |
| Vern Ehlers | Grand Rapids | 3rd district | December 7, 1993 |
| David Lee Camp | Midland | 4th district | January 3, 1991 |
| Fred Upton | St. Joseph | 6th district | January 6, 1987 |
| Tim Walberg | Tipton | 7th district | January 4, 2007 |
| Mike J. Rogers | Lansing | 8th district | January 3, 2001 |
| Joe Knollenberg | Bloomfield Hills | 9th district | January 5, 1993 |
| Candice S. Miller | Harrison Township | 10th district | January 7, 2003 |
| Thaddeus McCotter | Livonia | 11th district | January 7, 2003 |
[edit] History and notable Michigan Republicans
The Republican Party was born in the early 1850s by anti-slavery activists and individuals who believed that government should grant western lands to settlers free of charge. The first informal meeting of the party took place in Ripon, Wisconsin, a small town northwest of Milwaukee, WI. The first official Republican meeting took place on July 6th, 1854 in Jackson, Michigan with David S. Walbridge serving as chairman. The name "Republican" was chosen because it alluded to equality and reminded individuals of Thomas Jefferson's Democratic-Republican Party. At the Jackson convention, the new party adopted a platform and nominated candidates for office in Michigan.
In 1856, the Republicans became a national party when John C. Fremont was nominated for President of the United States under the slogan: "Free soil, free labor, free speech, free men, Fremont." Even though they were considered a "third party" because the Democrats and Whigs represented the two-party system at the time, Fremont received 33% of the vote. Four years later, Abraham Lincoln became the first Republican to win the White House. (For continued history [[2]])
26 Republicans have been Governors of Michigan. The first was Kingsley Bingham in 1855 and the most recent was John Engler who left office January 1, 2003.
Gerald R. Ford was the only Republican U.S. President and also the only Republican U.S. Vice President from Michigan. He was also the longest living President in U.S. History who died at the age of 93, only surpassing Ronald Reagan by 45 days. He is the only President born in Nebraska, as well as the only President to be buried in Michigan. His wife Betty is currently living in California.
The only Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from Michigan who was appointed by a Republican President(Benjamin Harrison) was Henry Billings Brown.
Zachariah Chandler and Arthur E. Summerfield are the only Michiganders to become Chairman of the Republican National Committee.
[edit] History of Michigan Republicans in U.S. Congress
Thomas W. Ferry was the first Republican from Michigan to become president pro tempore of the Senate (1875-79). Arthur H. Vandenberg was the second (1947-49) as well as the longest serving Republican U.S. Senator from Michigan at 23 years. None have been a U.S. Sentate party leader from Michigan.
In 1857, Zachariah Chandler was the first Republican to serve as U.S. Senator from Michigan (Class 1). Two years later, he served alongside fellow Republican Kinsley Bingham (Class 2). The GOP would continue being elected to serve alongside each other until 1923. The last time two Republicans were simultaneous U.S. Senators from Michigan was from 1953-55 with Homer Ferguson and Charles E. Potter. The last Republican to serve as a U.S. Senator from Michigan was E. Spencer Abraham who left office in 2001.
No Republican Michigander has ever been Speaker of the United States House of Representatives or House Majority Leader.
Gerald R. Ford is the only Republican House Minority Leader (1965-69) from Michigan.
In 1855, William A. Howard (1st district), Henry Waldron (2nd district), and David S. Walbridge (3rd district) became the first three Republicans to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan. Republicans were seated in all Michigan congressional districts during these years: 1857-59, 1860-63, 1865-71, 1873-75, 1879-83, 1895-97, 1899-1903, 1905-11, 1921-23, and 1925-33.
Roy O. Woodruff served 32 years in the U.S. House, the longest as a Republican from Michigan.
Ruth Thompson of Whitehall was the first woman to represent Michigan in Congress and the first woman to serve in the U.S. House Judiciary Committee.
List of United States Cabinet Members from Michigan who served under a Republican President (In order of Presidential succession)
| Name | Cabinet Position | Years Served | President(s) served under |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Erwin Wilson | Secretary of Defense | 1953-57 | Dwight D. Eisenhower |
| Zachariah Chandler | Secretary of the Interior | 1875-77 | Ulysses S. Grant |
| Roy Dikeman Chapin | Secretary of Commerce | 1932-33 | Herbert Hoover |
| Frederick H. Mueller | Secretary of Commerce | 1959-61 | Dwight D. Eisenhower |
| Governor George W. Romney | Secretary of Housing and Urban Development | 1969-73 | Richard Nixon |
| Spencer Abraham | Secretary of Energy | 2001-05 | George W. Bush |
| Governor Russell A. Alger | Secretary of War obsolete | 1997-99 | William McKinley |
| Truman H. Newberry | Secretary of the Navy obsolete | 1908-09 | Theodore Roosevelt |
| Edwin C. Denby | Secretary of the Navy obsolete | 1921-24 | Warren G. Harding & Calvin Coolidge |
| Arthur E. Summerfield | Postmaster General obsolete | 1953-61 | Dwight D. Eisenhower |
[edit] Chairman List
List of Chairmen of the Michigan Republican State Committee
[edit] Notes
- ^ William Alanson Howard later became U. S. Representative for the Michigan's 1st congressional district (1855-59), (1860-61) and Governor of Dakota Territory (1878–1880)
- ^ John J. Bagley later served as Governor of Michigan (1873–1877)
- ^ Zachariah Chandler had previously been Mayor of Detroit (1851–1852), U. S. Senator (Class 1) from Michigan (1857–1875, 1879) U. S. Secretary of the Interior (1875–77) and simutaneously Chairman of the Republican National Committee (1876-79)
- ^ James McMillan was also a U. S. Senator (Class 2) from Michigan (1889–1902)
- ^ Henry P. Baldwin had previously served as Governor of Michigan (1869–1873) and United States Senator (Class 1) from Michigan (1879–1881)
- ^ Gerrit J. Diekema had also been U. S. Representative for the Michigan's 5th congressional district (1907–1911)
- ^ Alex Groesbeck was later Michigan Attorney General (1917–1920) and Governor of Michigan (1921–1927)
- ^ John R. Dethmers was later Michigan Attorney General (1945– 1946)
- ^ Owen Cleary was later Michigan Secretary of State (1953– 1954)
- ^ John Feikens is currently Senior Judge, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan (since 1986)
- ^ Elly M. Peterson was the first woman to serve as chairman of any official state party.
- ^ E. Spencer Abraham later became U. S. (Class 1) from Michigan (1995—2001) and U. S. Secretary of Energy (2001–2005)
- ^ Elisabeth "Betsy" DeVos is the wife of 2006 Republican Gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos
- ^ Gerald "Rusty" Hills is currently the communications director for State of Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox.
[edit] External links
- Official website
- Michigan Federation of College Republicans
- MSU College Republicans
- "That's Saul, folks" MIGOP Blog
- Saul Anuzis for Chairman
- Michigan Federation of Teenage Republicans
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