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Push to remove head of Democratic Party in Mich.

Updated: Wednesday, February 6 2013, 09:30 AM EST
LANSING, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - There is a new push to remove the head of the Democratic Party in Michigan.

Mark Brewer is the longest serving state Democrat Party Chair in the country, but now some say it is time to move in a new direction.

Senators Carl Levin, Debbie Stabenow and five members of the U.S. House wrote an open letter to democrats saying it's time to get rid of the party chair.

Mark Brewer has been the Democratic Party Chair here in Michigan for 18 years. He is the longest serving chair in the country but many democrats say they are ready for change.

The letter sent to the party backs candidate Lon Johnson as the new party chair. Johnson lost a state House election in Northern Michigan in 2012.

His wife was Deputy Campaign Manager for President Barack Obama's re-election campaign.

Congressional democrats say they aren't happy about losses at state and local levels that culminated with GOP passage of the right-to-work law, and that's one of the reasons they want Brewer out.

"I like Mark and I think he's done a good job. Without saying anything about anybody else, I mean I certainly wouldn't say that Mark Brewer should go just for the sake of going he's done a good job, but I think that in any kind of process you want to see what the other candidates are," said Senator Vincent Gregory.

"This is on opportunity for us to as they say - when you see a good fight get in it. And so democrats will find themselves at the center of a little bit of controversy but that's good for the party," said Senator Burt Johnson.

Brewer and Johnson will now have to face off at the Democratic Convention on February 23rd to see who will be elected party chair.

This is a story we will be following closely. We will keep you updated.




Push to remove head of Democratic Party in Mich.