Trump-endorsed Michigan candidates receiving backing from state's Republican party

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (FOX 2) - Michigan candidates endorsed by former President Donald Trump won state Republicans’ backing over the weekend as they seek wins in this year's elections.

Attorney general candidate Matthew DePerno and secretary of state candidate Kristina Karamo were selected during a GOP convention in Grand Rapids.

Besides being endorsed by Trump, the candidates have another thing in common – they share Trump’s false belief that the 2020 election results were wrong and are considered to be less traditional choices.

"Even the party activists seemed split over Trump-endorsed AG candidate and a more establishment traditional Republican candidate," said David Dulio, the director of the Center for Civic Engagement at Oakland University.

Dulio said the effects of Donald Trump on Republicans and republicanism is clearly still present, challenging the traditional notions of what GOP ideals are.

"Trumpism does not follow Republican orthodoxy to a T," Dulio said. The best example for me is trade policy, and if we think back to 2016 and 2020 when the president campaigned here and when Bernie Sanders campaigned here in both Democratic primaries, their message on trade was not all that different."

The official nomination for GOP candidates doesn’t happen until a second convention slated for the summer. Deperno and Karamo will challenge Democratic incumbents Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in November.