Michigan Republicans gathered on Mackinac Island this past weekend for their biennial leadership conference.

On the island the skies were gray, and the horses smelled as horses do. But spirits were up. At least compared to two years ago, when infighting and relatively low attendance overshadowed the event.

Michigan Republican Party Chair Jim Runestad, who took over the party’s leadership in February, said there was a lot riding on this year.

“It went spectacular. I can’t go from one part of this conference to the other without people saying, ‘My God. You brought the party back,’” he said.

The event once was a proving ground for Republican hopefuls looking to boost their profile for things like presidential runs. This year’s conference was still down from its heyday. The party said abo

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