Steve Carra has made the choice to drop out of the race for the Republican nomination for Michigan’s reconfigured 4th Congressional District after former President Trump shifted his support to endorse incumbent Rep. Bill Huizenga.
Carra is expected to make the official announcement that he is instead running for another term in Michigan’s House of Representatives
The Washington Examiner reports:
Carra disputes characterizations of Trump’s switch to Huizenga as a rescinding of the “complete and total endorsement” the former president awarded to the state legislator in early September. Rather, Carra said, he is simply choosing a different 2022 path based on redistricting’s effect on the 4th Congressional District and his fear that remaining in the race would ease Rep. Fred Upton’s path to reelection.
“I don’t want to see the votes split,” Carra said, explaining his fear that if he remains in the Republican primary, voters opposed to Upton’s renomination might divide their votes between him and Huizenga, enabling the 16-term Western Michigan congressman to survive. Added Carra: Trump “didn’t rescind his endorsement of me — he just endorsed Bill Huizenga.”
“The key component in what happened is that I don’t live in the new congressional district as it’s drawn,” he emphasized. Maddock raised that issue during her phone call with Carra explaining Trump’s decision to back Huizenga.
Trump is working to unseat Michigan Rep. Fred Upton after he voted to impeach him.
Trump issued an endorsement for Rep. Huizenga through his Save America PAC.
“Congressman Bill Huizenga is doing a terrific job in Congress for the people of Michigan,” Trump said. “Bill Huizenga has my Complete and Total Endorsement for the newly drawn 4th Congressional District!”
Carra interpreted that, and his friendly conversation with Maddock, as validation of his view that the former president was not rescinding his September endorsement. However, there is another interpretation — that Trump was politely pushing Carra out of the race to clear the field for Huizenga, who will have more resources than Carra and is a more formidable opponent against Upton.
