Washington Examiner: “The GOP is far from coalescing around a candidate.”
LANSING — As Mike Rogers, Peter Meijer, James Craig, and Sandy Pensler continue to “clash” and take shots at each other, more people are taking notice (and Republicans are stressed). Get your popcorn ready!
Here’s the latest on the Michigan Republicans’ “brutal intraparty battle:”
- Politico described the race as “descending into [a] bloodbath” with Rogers, Meijer, Craig, and Pensler throwing their names in the hat.
- Republicans are at their wits’ end. Rep. Walberg tried to convince Meijer to run for a different seat and described the crowded primary as “a real risk.”
- Since “the GOP is far from coalescing around a candidate,” as the primary race is “threatening to fracture the vote.”
- At least the Michigan primary took home the gold for one award, with The Cook Political Report’s Jessica Taylor describing it as “the chance to be the messiest.”
- A Michigan GOP consultant didn’t hold back in his criticism, “You have three or four Republicans fighting it out like kids at the little kids table until August.”
See for yourself:
Politico: Senate GOP enters critical stretch for fending off bad candidates
- In other top-target states, the Senate GOP expects some brutal intraparty battles despite leaders’ attempts to winnow the fields.
- Ohio and Michigan are descending into bloodbaths as multiple self-funders vie for the nomination in each state.
- In Michigan, Sandy Pensler, a wealthy businessperson, jumped into a chaotic GOP primary for an open Senate seat, a race that already includes former Detroit Police Chief James Craig and former Reps. Peter Meijer and Mike Rogers.
- [The NRSC] urged Meijer not to run for Senate, creating a public spat with the former member.
- Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) tried to convince Meijer to run for his old House seat…
- Walberg… said Meijer’s Senate candidacy could create that dynamic again in 2024: “It’s always a real risk.”
Washington Post: Messy primaries could upend Senate races
- Republicans are facing potential complicated primaries in Michigan…
- “When I look at the primaries… I think Michigan has the chance to be the messiest,” said Taylor, the Senate race handicapper.
- But the primary for Republicans is threatening to fracture the vote.
- …But at least three other candidates are complicating [Roger’s] efforts, including former one-term congressman Peter Meijer, who lost his primary last cycle because of his vote to impeach Trump.
- Two other candidates, a former head of the Detroit police, James Craig, and Sandy Pensler, a wealthy businessman who is likely to self-fund, are also in the race and will pull from the Trump base. Pensler, however, will probably have more money to run a competitive race.
Washington Examiner: Republicans face difficult path to victory in Michigan Senate race
- Republicans face an uphill battle to clinch retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s (D-MI) seat next year.
- …the GOP is far from coalescing around a candidate.
- Dennis Lennox, a Michigan GOP consultant, told the Washington Examiner in an interview. “Meanwhile, you have three or four Republicans fighting it out like kids at the little kids table until August, when they will be broke because they will have spent all their money winning the primary.”
- Nearly one year later, the Republican primary is a crowded one, with former Reps. Mike Rogers and Peter Meijer, former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, and businessman Sandy Pensler, who came in second in the state’s 2018 GOP Senate primary, in the race.
- Where [Rogers] struggles, as do the rest of the GOP candidates, is in general election polling.”
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