Topic: Newsmax
Newsmax did a little last-minute campaigning for Republicans running for office in Michigan before the midterm elections.
Newsmax served up a pair of video reports by Tom Basile on Nov. 3 promoting gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon, with whom Basile was traveling that day. She was given a softball interview on Newsmax TV on Nov. 7:
Conservative Republican Tudor Dixon said Monday her focus on education is behind her closing a gap in support with voters as she faces off against incumbent Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
In an interview on her final day of campaigning, Dixon told Newsmax's "Wake Up America," education is the No. 1 issue with voters in the state.
Michigan was out of school for so long during the coronavirus pandemic," she said, adding online learning "was not effective for our students… we have a lot of catching up to do."
A Nov. 7 article by Jay Clemons rehashed a Newsmax TV appearance by Kristina Karamo, Republican candidate for Michigan secretary of state, spouting her talking points:
Kristina Karamo, the Republican candidate for Michigan secretary of state, didn't require much time to answer the question of how she plans to shake things up on her first day in January — if she prevails in Tuesday's midterm elections.
"By following the law," Karamo succinctly told Newsmax on Monday while appearing on "American Agenda" with hosts Bob Sellers and Katrina Szish.
[...]
Jocelyn Benson, Michigan's current secretary of state and Karamo's main opponent, has garnered criticism from residents over the last few years — with issues ranging from election integrity and election security to the Democrat leaders' actions in handling the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020-21.
This strikes Karamo as odd, since the secretary of state position is "really not a partisan role."
Also, Karamo alluded to allegations of Benson's office committing election-related violations in the past month.
"I'm running on following the law" and making sure Michigan residents are properly served, regardless of political affiliation, Karamo said.
Karamo then conflicted with her pledge to be nonpartisan by spouting right-wing talking points about "pornographic materials in schools." The Newsmax host didn't call her on it.
The day of the midterms on Nov. 8, John Gizzi typed up some quick last-minute boasting from another Michigan Republican:
With an hour before the polls close in Michigan’s four-county 8th District. Republican Paul Junge predicted to Newsmax he would “end the Kildee Dynasty after 46 years.”
Former TV anchorman Junge was referring to his Democratic opponent, five-term Rep. Dan Kildee, and the congressman’s late uncle Dale Kildee, who represented a similar district from 1976-2012.
[...]
“There was no Republican to take on Dan Kildee and I felt someone had to do it,” he told us.
The conservative hopeful told us that in campaigning through blue-collar Bay County, “I met a lot of union folks. They made it abundantly clear the Democrats’ policies were driving their county into the ground.”
Kildee, he charged, “votes 100 percent with Joe Biden and belongs to the House Progressive Caucus. That says a lot.”
Many Democrats in Junge’s part of Michigan, he said “are still pro-life and that is what my opponent is attacking me for.”
As to whether he can unseat the heir to one of Michigan’s most durable political names. Junge told us: “I feel pretty good tonight.”
Unfortunately, the confidence of these candidates -- and Newsmax -- in their would-be victories was misplaced. Karamo lost to Benson by 14 percentage points, while Junge lost to Kildee by 10 percentage points. Dixon was also losing, but Newsmax touted her election denials in a Nov. 9 article:
Despite some projections suggesting Michigan Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will win Tuesday night, GOP gubernatorial challenger Tudor Dixon is vowing to continue battling in a race too close to call.
Newsmax has not called the race, but Dixon was trailing the incumbent and some "premature" election calls have left former President Donald Trump's endorsed candidate angry.
"This race is not over yet, and Fox's call was premature," Dixon told her campaign headquarters. "We expect counting to continue into tomorrow in our major counties. This race has a long way to go."
Dixon ultimately lost by 10 percentage points. Later that day, a Newsmax article noted that Dixon had conceded to Whitmer.
