Former Detroit police chief James Craig announces GOP Senate bid in Michigan
October 03, 2023 12:10 PM
Former Detroit police chief James Craig announced his campaign for Michigan’s open Senate seat on Tuesday.
Craig, who was disqualified last year from his bid for governor over an alleged forged signature scheme, launched his Senate run on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
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“I am officially running for U.S. Senate,” he wrote alongside an announcement video featuring footage of Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News host, praising Craig for his “clarity and competence.”
“He rose to the job,” Carlson says in the clip. “He served that city.”
The video focuses on the issue of crime, which Craig has extensive experience with having served the Detroit Police Department as its chief for roughly eight years prior to retiring in 2022.
“What about those families? What about small businesses? What about the victims of crime?” Craig asks. “It’s gonna require strong leadership, and that’s what I bring to the table.”
“Our country is going in a bad direction,” he added.
With 73-year-old Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s (D-MI) decision not to seek reelection, the Democratic Party will be forced to defend an open seat in 2024. The Cook Political Report considers it to be competitive, rating it “Lean Democratic.”
Craig joins former Michigan Rep. Mike Rogers, the GOP establishment pick for the seat, in the primary, while former Michigan Rep. Peter Meijer also appears likely to join the race.
The primary election will take place Aug. 6, 2024, to decide which contender will take on the Democratic nominee. The expected Democratic choice is Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), who was featured in Craig’s video as he denounced “political servants” in Washington, D.C.
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In a recent poll from Emerson College, conducted in advance of Craig’s announcement, he trailed Slotkin 38% to 45%.
In the primary battle, Craig is expected to take a more sympathetic approach to former President Donald Trump, which could stand in contrast to Rogers and Meijer. Trump has homed in on Michigan, which is the center of the United Auto Workers strike, attempting to woo working-class voters and pin the struggle for higher pay on President Joe Biden’s administration. Trump’s endorsement, should he earn it, would bolster Craig’s candidacy in the primary.