Michigan Republican Party Picks Anthony Forlini as Secretary of State Nominee in Bid to Reset Brand

Lansing — The Michigan Republican Party has selected Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini as its candidate for Secretary of State in a move that signals a deliberate shift toward electability after years of losses in statewide races.

Forlini defeated two rivals in the first round of voting at the March 28 endorsement convention, earning 55 percent of the delegate vote. His selection comes alongside Doug Lloyd, an Eaton County prosecutor who was picked as the GOP attorney general nominee.

The party appears to be making a conscious departure from the grievances that previously defined its politics. Forlini is not easily boxed into the old narrative of election denialism that has hurt Republican candidates in the past. As a county clerk, he has acknowledged concerns about election administration while remaining within the system he oversees.

"It takes a strong leader to blow past the obstruction in Illinois, and it takes someone who cares about Michigan and our environment to keep pushing this project forward," said House Speaker Matt Hall in commenting on the transfer of the Asian carp project.

Lloyd brings a similar recalibration. Attorney General Dana Nessel has weaponized her office, and past GOP contenders have argued back in the same fashion. Lloyd's candidacy suggests a return to a more traditional understanding of the role — enforcing the law rather than redefining it.

"That could be appealing against Democrats' likely nominee, Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald, who arguably politicized her prosecution of the Crumbley family following the deadly 2021 shooting at Oxford High School," according to Detroit News coverage.

The convention drew more than 2,100 enthusiastic Republican delegates. Party Chairman Jim Runestad emphasized the need for electable candidates who can appeal beyond the base. After years of defeats in statewide offices, there is growing recognition that winning primaries is not the same as winning elections.

November's election will feature all four executive offices up for grabs — governor, lieutenant governor, Secretary of State, and attorney general — along with the open U.S. Senate seat and the entire state legislature. The Republican Party hopes its new slate will reset Michigan's economic and political trajectory.

"The party has prioritized electable candidates — and rebuilding," the Detroit News reported. "These candidate choices signal seriousness to voters beyond its base."

The Democratic Party will hold its state convention on April 19 to nominate its candidates for the same offices.