Former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, who suspended his GOP Senate campaign in mid-February, threw his support behind former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers on Monday in the Michigan primary, the Daily Caller News Foundation first learned.
Craig had been running for the position since early October, but made a “business decision” on Feb. 13 to withdraw from the primary and consider a 2025 Detroit mayoral campaign instead. The former police chief told the DCNF in an exclusive statement that he is “proud” to support Rogers, who has endorsed former President Donald Trump and was recruited to run by the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) in early September.
“Like myself, Mike has dedicated his life to protecting the American people, from his time in the Army, to the FBI, to serving as the Chair of the House Intelligence Committee,” said Craig. “I’m confident that as our next U.S. Senator Mike will secure our southern border and work closely with local law enforcement to keep our communities safe and secure. I look forward to working with him as we fight to defeat Joe Biden and the Democrats in November.” (RELATED: Former Detroit Police Chief Drops Out Of GOP Senate Race, Considers Mayoral Campaign)
Craig’s endorsement follows several other prominent backers of Rogers, including former U.S. Ambassador to Germany Ric Grenell; Rep. Tim Walberg of Michigan; and Sens. Katie Britt of Alabama, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Steve Daines of Montana and Joni Ernst of Iowa.
The Rogers campaign also has the support from Macomb County’s Candice Miller, the Southeast Michigan Chamber of Commerce, the Police Officers Association of Michigan, the Southeastern Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police and over 30 Michigan sheriffs.
pic.twitter.com/oFsNPNmfmi https://t.co/b9jgFEpt5b
— Mike Rogers (@MikeRogersForMI) January 16, 2024
Former Michigan Republican Reps. Peter Meijer and Justin Amash, both of whom voted to impeach Trump, are also running in the GOP primary. Amash, who jumped in the race on Thursday, left the Republican Party in 2019.
A Marketing Research Group survey released Feb. 24 found Rogers leading the field with 23% support for the Aug. 6 primary, followed by Meijer at 7% and businessman Sandy Pensler at 2%.
Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin, who is the frontrunner for her party’s nomination, is leading Rogers by only one point for a potential general election matchup to replace outgoing Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow, according to a EPIC-MRA poll published Feb. 21.
The Cook Political Report characterizes the open seat in the “Lean D” column, along with other contentious races in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Nevada.
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