Trump wins Michigan GOP convention

Former President Trump is projected to win the Michigan Republican convention after winning the state’s GOP primary earlier this week, according to results from Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ).  

The numbers deliver another, albeit expected, blow to rival Nikki Haley, who has pledged to stay in the race despite the fact that she has not won any of the early Republican nominating contests.

Trump coasted to victory on Tuesday during the Michigan GOP primary, which awards 16 delegates, beating her by 40 points. Republicans also held a convention on Saturday, which awards 39 delegates, after Democrats changed the date of the primary. 

DDHQ estimated by Saturday afternoon that the former president won 33 delegates in the GOP convention. Six delegates remain up for grabs.

Holding a primary under the new date would have been out of compliance with rules from the national GOP, so Michigan Republicans decided to hold a primary and a convention, with the majority of delegates being awarded during the convention as a compromise.  

Compounding the duel primary-convention system this year was intra-party fighting within the Michigan GOP as former Michigan GOP Chair Kristina Karamo and former Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.), whom national Republicans recognize as its new chair, hold separate conventions to award the majority of the state’s GOP delegates.  

A judge ruled earlier this week that Karamo couldn’t retain her position as chair of the Michigan GOP or conduct any of its business after Republicans voted to remove her from her position, but Karamo has pushed back.  

Michigan is among a handful of critical battleground states that will determine who wins the presidency in November.  

Next up, all eyes turn to Super Tuesday as a group of states hold their own nominating contests.