DePerno Withdraws from Michigan High Court Race as Nominating Conventions Begin

FLINT, Mich. (AP) — The race among Republicans for Michigan's state Supreme Court has been shaken up by attorney Matthew DePerno's decision to drop out hours before his party's nominating convention on Saturday. DePerno said in a Friday night statement that his decision was based on how he could best help former President Donald Trump win Michigan and reclaim the White House. It came just hours before both Republicans and Democrats gathered to choose nominees for two available seats on the court with majority control at stake.

DePerno, who rose to prominence repeating false claims about the 2020 election and faces felony charges of trying to illegally access and tamper with voting machines, said he talked to Trump this week and decided he could do more to help Trump win by bolstering the state's absentee and early voting programs. This isn't about Matt DePerno. This isn't about any politician. This is about which candidates give Republicans the strongest chance of carrying Michigan for President Trump. DePerno stated.

Supreme Court races in Michigan are officially nonpartisan — meaning candidates appear without a party label on the ballot — but the nominees are chosen by party convention. Democratic-backed justices currently hold a 4-3 majority. Republican victories in both races would flip control of the court. Republicans have framed the races as a fight to stop government overreach, while Democrats say it's a battle to preserve reproductive rights, especially after Michiganders enshrined the right to abortion in the state constitution in 2022.

Delegates gathered in Flint now have a choice between Detroit attorney Alexandria Taylor and Circuit Court Judge Patrick O’Grady for the seat currently held by Justice Kyra Harris Bolden. At the same time, the Democratic convention is expected to nominate Bolden, who faces no party challengers and was appointed by Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer after another justice stepped down in 2022.

The conventions kick off what will almost certainly be competitive and expensive general election races. The candidates seeking Democratic backing have raised far more money than their counterparts, according to campaign finance reports.