Michigan’s Senate contest continues to tighten as Republicans set their sights on unseating the vulnerable incumbent, Democrat Senator Gary Peters. GOP-aligned groups invested millions in the race in August, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) plans to spend $1.5 million on television advertising, in coordination with John James’ campaign.
Better Future MI Fund is the only Super PAC exclusively working in support of John James, and bought $4 million in ads for September. The group is hitting Sen. Peters on “skipping work,” as the incumbent was absent from 84 percent of his Small Business Committee hearings.
A recent poll of likely voters in Michigan shows that just 19 percent of those surveyed believe that the freshman senator deserves a second term in the Senate, and a 2019 Morning Consult poll revealed that 40 percent of voters did not recognize Sen. Peters by name, despite being in Congress for a decade.
"Sen. Peters has focused on politics and doubling his personal wealth during his decade in D.C. and Michiganders are ready for a change," said Tori Sachs, a consultant with Better Future MI Fund. "Days after receiving a dire warning on coronavirus, Peters flew to London for a fundraiser. Not surprisingly, just yesterday Peters voted against critical COVID relief funds including an increase for unemployment benefits, small businesses, and vaccine funding."
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James’ likability and massive fundraising hauls has forced Democrats to spend large sums in hopes of defending Sen. Peters, in what they had hoped would be a safe seat on the map. The RealClearPolitics average shows Sen. Peters with a four-point advantage, with some showing the race at a virtual tie, shrinking the incumbent's once-wide lead.
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