The Michigan Conservative Coalition (MCC) is a political activist organization that claims to advocate on electing conservative candidates for the Michigan state legislature. 1
In 2024, the MCC worked with other political organizations to investigate the city of Detroit having roughly eight times as many election inspectors registered as Democrat as those registered as Republican. The investigation claimed this was in violation of state law calling for an equal number, prompting the Republican National Committee (RNC) suing the city over the discrepancy. 2 3
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the MCC helped to organize a “drive-by” protest called “Operation Gridlock” in front of the Michigan Capitol to protest pandemic lockdown ordinances passed by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D). In compliance with social distancing rules, protesters remained in their vehicles for the protest and honked horns. 4 5
Background
The Michigan Conservative Coalition is a political activist organization that claims the “Republican Party had taken a wrong turn,” and that the Michigan Republican Party no longer follows its own platform. 6
The MCC claims it trains activists to help elect conservative candidates running for local offices including the Michigan state legislature as well as recruiting precinct delegates. 7
Activities
The Michigan Conservative Coalition (MCC) works with several local conservative groups supporting the 2024 presidential campaign for former president Donald Trump. 8
In 2024, the Michigan Conservative Coalition partnered with Pure Integrity Michigan Elections and Michigan Fair Elections on an investigation that disclosed the city of Detroit had eight times as many election inspectors that registered as Democrat than those registered as Republican (or roughly 2,340 Democrats compared to 302 Republicans). Under Michigan law, jurisdictions are expected to have an equal number of representatives from either party, leading to the Republican National Committee (RNC) sued over the discrepancy. 9 10
In 2021, the MCC advocated for the then-Republican-controlled Michigan State Senate to conduct a audit of over allegations regarding the 2020 election and to investigate reported claims of whether President Joe Biden had won the state and its electoral votes. MCC co-founder Marian Sheridan made claims to several lawmakers “something very wrong” happened in the 2020 election, stating they would submit over 7,000 affidavits from people backing the proposed audit. 11
In April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the MCC helped organize several protests in front of the Michigan Capitol to protest lockdown policies passed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D). Called “Operation Gridlock,” 12 protesters conducted a “drive-by” protest, circling the state capitol building while honking their horns in opposition to Whitmer’s stay-at-home orders while still following social distancing rules. Ahead of the protest, the MCC Facebook page claimed, “Our Governor and her allies are infecting ALL of us with their radical, progressive agenda,” adding that “Dope stores? Open. Abortion clinics? Open. Churches? Shut down. Local businesses? Going broke!” The group’s page went onto say, “People always say: ‘Conservatives never protest because they are too busy working. Well, guess what. You’re not working—so it’s time to PROTEST.” 13
In April 2017, the MCC organized rallies at several post offices in the municipalities of Birmingham, Mount Clemens, Novi, Holland, Traverse City, and Hudsonville to coincide with the tax filing deadline. The protests were against roughly a dozen state legislative Republicans that voted for a bill in the state senate in February 2017 that would have cut the state income tax rate from 4.25 percent to 4.05 percent. 14
Leadership
Marian Sheridan is a co-founder of the Michigan Conservative Coalition and a member of the MCC board of directors. 15 16
Rosanne Ponkowski is the president of the Michigan Conservative Coalition and a member of the board. 17
Daralyn Armbruster is the secretary of the MCC and a member of the board. 18
Other board members are Meshawn Maddock, Bill Rauwerdink, and Diane Schniedlbeck. 19
References
- “About.” Michigan Conservative Coalition. Accessed September 27, 2024. https://michiganconservativecoalition.com/about/
- Johnson, Patrice. “: People – not corrupt politicians – should decide elections.” The Center Square. August 23, 2024. Accessed September 4, 2024. https://www.thecentersquare.com/opinion/article_dd5115dc-6182-11ef-b701-bb1c8f1cc9a6.html
- Mittelstadt, Natalia. “City of Detroit hired 2,000+ more Dem poll workers than GOP in 2024 primary, violating state law.” Just the News. August 20, 2024. Accessed September 4, 2024. https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/elections/detroit-hired-2000-more-dem-poll-workers-republican-2024-primary-contrary.
- Associated Press. “’Not Prisoners’: Protesters at Capitol over stay-home order.” WGVU Public Media. April 15, 2020. Accessed September 27, 2024. https://www.wgvunews.org/news/2020-04-15/not-prisoners-protesters-at-capitol-over-stay-home-order
- Lovelace, Ryan. “Operation Gridlock: Thousands protest Whitmer’s stay-at-home order in Michigan.” Washington Times. April 15, 2020. Accessed September 27, 2024. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/apr/15/operation-gridlock-thousands-protest-whitmers-stay/
- “About.” Michigan Conservative Coalition. Accessed September 27, 2024. https://michiganconservativecoalition.com/about/.
- [1] “About.” Michigan Conservative Coalition. Accessed September 27, 2024. https://michiganconservativecoalition.com/about/.
- “About.” Michigan Conservative Coalition. Accessed September 27, 2024. https://michiganconservativecoalition.com/about/
- Johnson, Patrice. “: People – not corrupt politicians – should decide elections.” The Center Square. August 23, 2024. Accessed September 4, 2024. https://www.thecentersquare.com/opinion/article_dd5115dc-6182-11ef-b701-bb1c8f1cc9a6.html
- Mittelstadt, Natalia. “City of Detroit hired 2,000+ more Dem poll workers than GOP in 2024 primary, violating state law.” Just the News. August 20, 2024. Accessed September 4, 2024. https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/elections/detroit-hired-2000-more-dem-poll-workers-republican-2024-primary-contrary.
- Associated Press. “Conservative Activists Request Audit of Michigan Election.” WGVU Public Media. June 17, 2021. Accessed September 27, 2024. https://www.wgvunews.org/news/2021-06-17/conservative-activists-request-audit-of-michigan-election.
- Associated Press. “’Not Prisoners’: Protesters at Capitol over stay-home order.” WGVU Public Media. April 15, 2020. Accessed September 27, 2024. https://www.wgvunews.org/news/2020-04-15/not-prisoners-protesters-at-capitol-over-stay-home-order.
- Lovelace, Ryan. “Operation Gridlock: Thousands protest Whitmer’s stay-at-home order in Michigan.” Washington Times. April 15, 2020. Accessed September 27, 2024. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/apr/15/operation-gridlock-thousands-protest-whitmers-stay/.
- [1] Associated Press. “Protesters rally against Republicans who opposed tax cut.” April 18, 2017. Accessed September 27, 2024. https://www.wgvunews.org/news/2017-04-18/protesters-rally-against-republicans-who-opposed-tax-cut.
- “Michigan Conservative Coalition.” ProPublica. Accessed September 27, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/352556793.
- Associated Press. “Conservative Activists Request Audit of Michigan Election.” WGVU Public Media. June 17, 2021. Accessed September 27, 2024. https://www.wgvunews.org/news/2021-06-17/conservative-activists-request-audit-of-michigan-election.
- “Michigan Conservative Coalition.” ProPublica. Accessed September 27, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/352556793.
- “Michigan Conservative Coalition.” ProPublica. Accessed September 27, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/352556793.
- “Michigan Conservative Coalition.” ProPublica. Accessed September 27, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/352556793.