Levi Baxter – Chairman of the first Republican State Convention


Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor Levi Baxter, born October 5th 1788. Opportunities in the lumber industry drew him from western New York to southern Michigan. There he constructed several sawmills.

Neighbors knew him to be "a man of large discernment and excellent judgement; of much social, political, and industrial influence."

In 1848, as a member of the anti-slavery Free Soil Party, Baxter was elected state senator. Six years later, he chaired the first Republican Party state convention – Under the Oaks at Jackson on July 6th. "Fellow citizens of Michigan," his opening statement began, "let us bow our heads and pray for success in the great enterprise which has brought us here."

Two sons became prominent in state politics and another, Union Army general and ambassador to Honduras.

Back to Basics for the Republican Party is my civil rights history of the GOP. To quote the book: "The more we Republicans know about the history of our party, the more Democrats will worry about the future of theirs. For more information, see www.grandoldpartisan.com. 

Here is a YouTube Video about this article.

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Michael Zak is author of Back to Basics for the Republican Party, a history of GOP civil rights achievement.


Each day, his YouTube videos and TikTok videos and Rumble videos and Grand Old Partisan blog celebrate more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. And, see Speech Raves for audience feedback from his presentations in thirty-one states.

Clarence Thomas cited Back to Basics for the Republican Party in a Supreme Court decision.

"This is the most amazing book about politics that I have ever read. The Overview should be required reading for anyone with even a minor interest in government. The remainder is an enthralling history lesson that I will never forget. For years, we have all been misled about the true nature of the GOP. This is the real deal! Read it and be proud!"

"Your book is a national treasure. I'm always recommending it."

"Michael Zak wrote the definitive history of the GOP."

"Back to Basics for the Republican Party is the most significant contribution to the Republican Party in the last twenty years apart from Ronald Reagan."

"Back to Basics for the Republican Party is more important to our party now than ever before."

and

"one of the best books I ever read"

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