Months before a vital Senate election in the battleground state of Michigan, high-profile Republican candidate James Craig announced he is dropping out of the race.
Craig, who made a name for himself as a law-and-order police chief of Detroit, said on Tuesday he was making a “business decision” to suspend his Senate campaign and consider a run for Detroit mayor, The Detroit News reported. The Republican candidate told the outlet that the “challenge” of fundraising was the most significant factor in his decision.
To qualify for the ballot as a Senate candidate, the former Detroit police chief must obtain and verify 15,000 signatures by April 23 before the Republican primary in August. He said the estimated cost for his campaign to reach the ballot signature threshold would be $350,000. The Craig campaign reported having around $28,000 on hand at the start of the year, according to The Detroit News.
Craig’s 2022 campaign for Michigan governor, where he was an early favorite to win the GOP nomination, was upended by a ballot petition scandal. The Michigan Bureau of Elections ruled that Craig was ineligible for the 2022 primary ballot after it was determined that fraudulent ballot signatures were submitted on behalf of his campaign.
Craig also complained that one of his GOP opponents, former Rep. Mike Rogers, was already being backed by the Republican establishment. When Rogers announced his bid last September, National Republicans signaled that he would have support from the party in his primary. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, told The Daily Wire at the time that Rogers is “the type of candidate who can perform well with suburban Michiganders and be a strong part of the eventual ticket in Michigan.”
After Craig’s campaign suspension, the Republican race is now a battle between Rogers, former Republican Rep. Peter Meijer, businessman Sandy Pensler, and Michigan State Board of Education member Nikki Snyder. Republicans, currently in the Senate minority by two seats, hope to flip the Michigan Senate seat, which will be vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Debbi Stabenow. The likely Democrat nominee in the Senate race will be Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).
CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP
Democrats have controlled both Michigan Senate seats since 2001, but the 2024 election in Michigan is considered one of many closely contested Senate races.
The former Detroit police chief said there’s a chance he will “take a serious look at” running for mayor of Michigan’s largest city in 2025. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, a Democrat, has held the office since 2014.