BIG RAPIDS, Michigan — Last fall, voters in central Michigan were upset about plans to build an electric vehicle battery plant in their rural area. In response, they recalled five of the seven township board members who supported the project.
Lori Brock, a local real estate agent who led the effort, said it could have been all seven, but two members resigned before the recall. They knew they were going to get voted out, she said.
At first, the debate over Gotion Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of a Chinese company connected to the Communist Party of China, was only a local issue in Green Charter Township. Now, it’s become a national topic in the race for the White House, highlighting two major concerns of the Republican Party China as a global rival and the rise of electric vehicles especially in this key battleground state.
These activists are gaining momentum, said Michigan GOP Chairman Pete Hoekstra, referring to those who pushed for the recall.
Former President Donald Trump recently announced his strong opposition to Gotion in a social media post, claiming the company would put Michiganders under the control of the Chinese Communist Party. Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, even visited Brock’s horse farm last week to give a campaign speech, hoping to bring more attention to the issue.