DETROIT – Current Michigan Republican Party Chairwoman Laura Cox said she was dropping out of the race for another term -- a decision expected to be made at the state party convention on Saturday (Feb. 6).
That decision would also leave former chair and current University of Michigan Regent Ron Weiser as the only candidate for the position.
However, days before the convention, Cox accused Weiser -- when he was chairman -- of paying out $200,000 in party money to Shelby Township Clerk Stanley Grot, a payment in return for Grot dropping out of the race in 2018 for secretary of state.
The funds were paid to Grot over a six-month period; however, Grot and Weiser claim the six-figure payment was for doing delegate recruitment.
Cox claimed that with Grot dropping out of the race, the GOP could then put a woman on the ticket on its all-male ticket.