Former Michigan Rep. Peter Meijer Jumps into Race to Unseat Democratic Sen. Stabenow
Former Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI), an outspoken critic of Donald Trump, announced Monday that he is running for outgoing Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s seat in Michigan.
In its advertisement, Meijer said it represents the “best chance” for Republicans to take control of the seat and “fight hard for a conservative future.” He is heir to the Michigan-based grocery store chain of the same name.
“My wife and I pray a lot about this race and how we can best serve our state and our nation,” Meijer said. “We considered all aspects of the campaign and are confident that we have the best chance to win back this seat for Republicans and fight hard for a conservative future.”
“We are in dark and uncertain times, but we have overcome worse things. The challenges are great, but so is our country,” the former congressman continued. “If we want to see another great American century, we need leaders who are not afraid to be bold, who will get the job done, and who cannot be bought.”
Meijer becomes the third high-profile candidate to jump into the race on the Republican side, joining former congressman Mike Rogers (R-MI) and former Detroit Police Chief James Craig in the race to be the Republican candidate for the vacant Senate seat.
He was born and raised in Grand Rapids and attended West Point before enlisting in the Army Reserves and serving during the Iraq War as an intelligence adviser. During his time in Congress, Meijer served on the Homeland Security Committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee, and the Science, Space, and Technology Committee.
Meijer was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump following the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol. He was then primary-elected in 2022 by Trump-backed candidate John Gibbs, who defeat Meijer by almost 4,000 votes. Gibbs would continue lose Democrat Hillary Scholten by more than 40,000 votes in the general election. Meijer it crashed Democrats for meddling in their primaries as Democratic groups spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to boost Gibbs’ campaign, believing he would be easier to defeat in the general election.
While Meijer, 35, boasted of A rating from the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America organization for her consistent support of protecting the unborn, her voting record on other issues aligned with President Joe Biden and Democrats more than most Republicans. During his single term from 2021 to 2023, Meijer voted in line with Biden 39% of the time, making him one of the most moderate Republicans in the House. according to FiveThirtyEight.
National Republican Senatorial Committee Executive Director Jason Thielman was not enthusiastic about Meijer entering the race.
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“Peter Meijer is not viable in a primary election, and there is concern that if Meijer were nominated, the base would not be enthusiastic in the general election,” he said. said POLITICAL.
Michigan’s two Senate seats have been under Democratic control since 2001, when Stabenow was first elected. The 73-year-old senator’s upcoming retirement opens up an important battleground election as Republicans try to gain control of the Senate and Democrats face a host of challenges in the 2024 elections.
