LANSING, MI — Tea party leader Wes Nakagiri, a vocal critic of Michigan Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, is looking to replace him at the MRP State Convention August, 2014.

The Hartland resident & founder of ReTakeOurGov announced Monday morning that he has filed paperwork to form a candidate committee and will seek the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor in 2014.

“I am running to bring a conservative voice to the current Lansing administration,” he said in a release. “Having a grassroots conservative on the 2014 ticket will energize the base of the GOP to come out and work hard on its behalf. This energy and enthusiasm will pay dividends up and down the ballot.”

Calley, a former banker who previously represented Portland in the state House, also faced a tea party challenge at the 2010 Republican convention after he was tapped as a running mate by current Gov. Rick Snyder. A roll call vote was not held, however, and Calley went on to appear on the winning ticket.

Speaking Friday on WKAR-TV’s “Off The Record” with Tim Skubick, Calley acknowledged disagreement within the Republican party on a few prominent issues but said he is “definitely a conservative voice” in the Snyder administration.

“I don’t take anything for granted,” he said of a possible convention challenge. “I’m old fashioned that way. At the end of the day I do feel I have very strong support within the convention and will continue to develop those relationships as we move forward.”

Watch: Calley on “Off The Record” | Nakagiri on “Off The Record”

Nakagiri’s announcement comes as the Michigan Senate prepares for a possible vote on a House-approved plan to reform Medicaid and expand eligibility under the auspices of the Affordable Care Act.

The proposal has led to a rift between the Republican administration and some of the party’s most conservative members. Gov. Rick Snyder supports the Medicaid plan, and Calley said Friday that he is prepared to cast a tie-breaking vote if necessary, which would only happen if a significant majority of Senate Republicans vote against it.

Nakagiri, who will be in Lansing this week to urge opposition to Medicaid expansion, said he would vote against the proposal if he were in Calley’s position.

“It is mind-boggling to many that we as a society would even think about piling more debt on the backs of future generations,” he said. “We really need to focus on expanding freedom, not government.”