Ex-Congressman Meijer Enters Race For Michigan Senate

(HorizonPost.com) – Peter Meijer, the former Michigan congressman who was ousted by Republican primary voters in 2022 for voting to impeach Donald Trump, announced on Monday that he is running for the Senate to replace retiring Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow, the Associated Press reported.

In an announcement posted on X, Meijer said he offers the “best chance” for Republicans to take Stabenow’s Senate seat.

Meijer said while the country is facing difficult times, it has “made it through worse.” He said if there is to be “another great American century,” the country “needs leaders who aren’t afraid to be bold,” and who will “do the work” without being bought.

Meijer, the heir to the Midwestern grocery store chain, has the name recognition and fundraising infrastructure to make him a top contender to pick up a Senate seat for the Republicans.

Meijer will face Republican challengers Rep. Mike Rogers and Detroit Chief of Police James Craig in the primary. On the Democrat side, Michigan Rep. Elissa Slotkin remains the favorite in a field that also includes television actor Hill Harper.

Slotkin became the early favorite after announcing her plans in February. Meanwhile, the Republican field remained empty until September when Rep. Rogers announced he was running. James Craig announced his campaign last month.

Currently, Slotkin is leading the pack in campaign cash, with $4 million more on hand than any other US Senate candidate at the end of the third quarter.

A Grand Rapids native, Meijer is a former officer with the Army Reserve who served in Iraq. He was first elected to the House in 2020, but just two weeks into his term, Meijer drew the ire of Trump loyalists when he joined nine other Republicans in voting to impeach Trump after the January 6 riot at the Capitol.

As payback for Meijer’s impeachment vote, Trump threw his support behind his primary challenger John Gibbs in the 2022 midterm elections. With Trump’s endorsement, Gibbs defeated Meijer in the primary but went on to lose the general election to Democrat Hillary Scholten, flipping the solidly red district blue.