LANSING, Mich.—Republican activists on Friday will meet for a two-day conference on Mackinac Island featuring speeches by seven of the nine GOP presidential candidates, a book-signing by Newt Gingrich and strategy sessions for 2008.
The biennial Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference will give the presidential candidates a chance to increase their support in a state that will be one of the earliest to weigh in with a Jan. 15 primary.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee on Thursday canceled his appearance. U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado also did not plan to attend.
The conference could offer some hints on who’s thinking of taking on Democratic Sen. Carl Levin next year and who might be running for governor and other top seats in 2010.
Arizona Sen. John McCain, who won Michigan’s 2000 GOP primary, will head to the island having lost the support this week of his state campaign chairman, Attorney General Mike Cox.
Cox’s pending defection was first reported by The Associated Press Monday evening. The attorney general issued a statement Thursday making his departure official.
“Sen. John McCain has been and will always remain a personal hero. In fact, as a young Marine in Okinawa, I followed his first election campaign in 1982. He is one of the most important American figures of our time,” Cox said.
“I disagree with him on the direction of his presidential campaign. I still believe, if elected, that Sen. McCain would make a great president. However, after long thought and consideration, I can no longer endorse his candidacy and I am withdrawing as his Michigan state chairman.”
McCain campaign spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker said McCain still has many supporters in the state, including former U.S. Ambassador Ronald Weiser, businessman Jim Nicholson, U.S. Rep. Fred Upton and Republican National Committee members Chuck Yob and Holly Hughes.
“Candidates win elections—and this race is about John McCain and why he’s the most prepared and most qualified to serve as commander in chief,” she said. “We remain committed to repeating the success we had in Michigan in 2000, and we continue to be well positioned to win.”
Besides McCain, the conference will feature Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson, Sam Brownback, Duncan Hunter and Ron Paul. All will speak at the Grand Hotel to the estimated 1,500 Republicans expected to attend the conference.
Gingrich said Thursday he still might jump into the GOP presidential race if supporters will pledge $30 million by November. The former House speaker is scheduled to hold a workshop and book signing Saturday at the hotel.
The candidates’ appearances could serve as a tuneup for an Oct. 9 GOP presidential debate at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center in Dearborn that’s being sponsored by CNBC, MSNBC, The Wall Street Journal, the city of Dearborn, the University of Michigan-Dearborn and the state GOP.
Romney and Thompson have agreed to attend the debate, as have Huckabee, Brownback and Paul, Anuzis said Thursday. Hazelbaker said McCain will be there as well. A spokesman for Giuliani said the former New York mayor hasn’t decided yet if he can attend.
The GOP candidates’ visits come as their Democratic counterparts continue to honor a pledge not to campaign in Michigan or Florida because the two states broke Democratic party rules by moving up their primaries.
“I hope the Democrats continue their boycott of both Michigan and Florida. I think it gives us a unique chance” to persuade voters to vote Republican, Anuzis said. Michigan hasn’t helped send a Republican to the White House since George H.W. Bush ran in 1988.
Democratic National Committee spokesman Damien LaVera downplayed the Republicans’ chances.
“Given the lack of enthusiasm Republicans voters have toward their presidential candidates and the fact that they’re all clinging to the failed agenda of a president with a 22 percent approval rating in Michigan, this should be a pretty somber weekend in Mackinac,” he said.
Romney and Paul were heading to Michigan a day ahead of the conference to raise money.
Paul had a $1,000-per-person Thursday evening fundraiser planned in Detroit, while Romney was scheduled to hold a $200-per-person fundraiser at the Orchard Lake Country Club and a $1,000-per-person evening fundraiser at the Orchard Lake home of Compuware CEO and Carolina Hurricanes owner Peter Karmanos and his wife, Danialle.
Guests also could attend a leadership reception at the Karmanos’ for $2,300.
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EDITOR’s NOTE: Kathy Barks Hoffman heads the Lansing AP bureau and has covered Michigan politics since 1986.
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