Two men who have ties to white supremacist organizations have been elected by Republicans in Michigan to be precinct delegates. They have been elected for two-year terms.
Randy Gray of Midland Michigan is a self-avowed member of the Klu Klux Klan. In the Aug. 5 primary election he was elected by the Midland County Republican voters for the party position in Midland County.
Kyle Bristow is a former chair of the Michigan state chapter of Young Americans for Freedom (YAF). The Southern Poverty Law Center
lists this as a hate group. In 2006 he co-administered, "True American Patroit", and "Jobs a White Man Won't Do." They are both online raciest groups and were in the Facebook network. He was also elected on Aug. 5 and is the Clinton Township (Macomb County) Republican precinct delegate.
Bristow and Gray were elected for two-year terms. As part of their duties they are expected to attend all state Republican conventions and to organize the campaign activities for their precinct for Republican candidates.
A West Michigan news blog, the Media Mouse,
reports Gray didn't have to campaign for the position. He said he just had to put his name on the ballot. There is a screen shot of Gray on the blog where he is bragging about his win on the message board of a white nationalist Web site, Stormfront.org.
Only Bristow and one other candidate ran for three open seats in the 29th precinct of Clinton Township. There were three open seats in Midland also and only Gray and two others ran for those seats.
The majority of voters would not have known the backgrounds of Gray and Bristow as they never revealed their affiliations. A simple google search would have produced
information about Randy Gray and
about Kyle Bristow
Gray is to report to Midland County Republican Chair Diane Bristol. Michigan Messenger
called her for a comment about Gray. Bristol said,
“If, in fact, he’s associated with the KKK, [then] yes, it troubles me.”
The Democratic candidate, Garnet Lewis, for the 98th state district that includes Midland was asked her opinion about Gray said,
“This is a wake-up call for those of us who are sitting on the sidelines. If we choose to sit on the couch, then we can’t complain when others run for office. We have to step up and participate and run, or be satisfied with those who choose to.”
Last year in August, Gray was a participant in a " “Rally Against Black Gang Terrorism.” White supremacist radio host Hal Turner was the organizer of the rally. He was later
identified as an FBI informant.
Before this event reporter Todd Heywood had
reported the speakers for the rally in Kalamazoo were considered "the worst of the worst" by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
In Gray's speech that day in Kalamazoo, he attacked both Jews and blacks.
During Bristows time at Michigan State University leading the Young Americans for Freedom he was involved in several controversial programs at MSU. One was
hosting a speech by Nick Griffin, the chair of the British National Party. He advocates the removal of all nonwhite immigrants from England. He also has stated the Holocaust was a made-up event.
Bristow also had proposed a “Catch an Illegal Immigrant Day.” It was cancelled after there was harsh opposition from the students and administrators at MSU. He also had a part in bringing Canadian neo-Nazi Paul Fromm to Lansing for a speech.
Michigan Messenger reporter Todd A. Heywood sent email inquiries to Bristow and Michigan Republican Party Chair Saul Anuzis about this story but did not receive a reply.
