It's Not Trump, It's Us, Says Michigan Republican Party

The Michigan Republican Party hasn’t conceded that it will have nothing to celebrate after the Nov. 8 general election, but neither is the state party throwing an Election Night bash. Money and the absence of a statewide race at the top of the ticket — not the party’s lightning rod nominee, Donald Trump — prompted state GOP leaders to skip the traditional shindig for activists and elected officials, a party spokeswoman said.

While Republicans eschewed balloons, confetti and champagne corks, Democrats will be partying up a storm at the MGM Grand casino in Detroit. Their nominee, Hillary Clinton, is leading Trump in both Michigan and national polls, and unless they’re wrong and the race pivots, the former secretary of state will claim the state’s 16 electoral votes.

Election night parties offer a chance for party faithful to blow off steam after a long campaign and provide platforms for newly crowned officials to rally supporters around key issues a final time and for unsuccessful candidates to make concession speeches challenging voters to keep fighting the good fight.

“It is a costly endeavor and we are using all available resources to elect Republicans,” Sarah Anderson, communications director for the Michigan Republican Party, told The Detroit News.

Anderson also said Michigan Republican activists and elected officials don’t have particularly strong ties to Trump or his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, who are not expected to win.

According to a Real Clear Politics polling average, Clinton has a 10-point lead over Trump in Michigan, 47.5 percent to 37.5 percent, in a four-way race with Libertarian Gary Johnson and Green Party candidate Jill Stein. Nationally, the race is closer. The Real Clear Politics national polling average shows Clinton leading Trump 48.3 percent to 43.2 percent in a four-way race.

• See Also: Michigan Republicans Distance Themselves from Trump After ‘Groping’ Comment

Republicans didn’t cancel the party in Lansing in 2012 when GOP nominee Mitt Romney headed into Election Day struggling in polls against President Barack Obama, who easily won Michigan. But an open U.S. Senate race was at the top of the ticket that year.

Michigan Republicans have been chilly to Trump since the release of video that showed him bragging about groping women. In a statement the day after the tapes were released, Michigan Republican Party Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel said Trump’s comments were “reprehensible and disgusting.”

“As a woman, as the mother of a 13-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old son, and as a Republican, I find Mr. Trump’s comments reprehensible and disgusting. Mr. Trump has apologized for the comments he made 11 years ago, but needs to do so again and again if he hopes to gain back any semblance of public trust.

“I am confident that Michiganders know that Donald Trump’s comments represent only himself, and other Republicans do not share his views. Donald Trump's comments are his alone to own and I cannot and will not defend them.”

Down-ballot Republicans are expected to have their own smaller gatherings. The Detroit News said it’s unclear if Trump’s statewide campaign plans any large or statewide gathering.

The Michigan Democratic Party’s celebration starts at 8 p.m. in the grand ballroom of the MGM Grand.

Photo by Gage Skidmore via Flickr Commons