Michigan Sen. Gary Peters (D) made a degrading comment about his Republican challenger, John James, insinuating that James’ race is to credit for his campaign’s momentum:
"Just briefly about my opponent in the race. I forgot to mention that when I was talking about the race, he... he is an African American Veteran who supports Donald Trump two thousand percent, which is a pretty big percent to support somebody," Peters said to a Zoom audience. "And as a result of that, Donald Trump loves them back, and says that's proof that they are a big tent party. He has become a regular on Fox and Friends, Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson. And as a result of that has been raising a lot of resources from folks around...around the country."
James, an Army combat veteran and rising star in the Republican Party, ran for the Senate against Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D) in 2018 and lost by a mere 6 points to the 20-year incumbent. Sen. Peters is much more vulnerable of an incumbent, and James is within striking distance of the freshman Senator in multiple polls. James has also consistently outraised Sen. Peters for four consecutive quarters to date; a Morning Consult poll found that 40 percent of his constituents do not recognize Sen. Peters’ by name. A recent public opinion poll found that just 19 percent of likely voters, in a +6 Democrat survey, believe that Sen. Peters is worthy of a second term in the upper chamber.
Michigan is in play in the general election; President Trump won the state by a slim margin in 2016 after former President Obama carried it in 2008 and 2012. In the battle for the Senate majority, James is giving Sen. Peters a substantial challenge in one of the most vulnerable seats that Democrats are forced to defend in November.