LANSING — The Michigan Republicans continue to “clash” and take shots at each other in their “strikingly candid and aggressive” “Senate showdown.” This “radioactive” intra-party fight will leave Republicans with a badly damaged nominee who is out of step with working Michiganders.
Here’s the latest on the Michigan Republicans’ “caustic” Senate primary:
- Peter Meijer slammed Mike Rogers, saying the biggest difference between the two of them is that “I’m a little bit younger… have a little bit different perspective… more of a record of not just kind of following into a party line.”
- Mike Rogers dismissed Peter Meijer’s campaign, saying it’s “irrelevant to what we’re trying to do.”
- The Michigan Republican Party was quick to attack Peter Meijer shortly after he launched his campaign and then blamed the tweet on an “over-zealous intern.”
- The National Republican Senatorial Committee lunged at Peter Meijer, saying he “isn’t viable in a primary election, and there’s worry that if Meijer were nominated, the base would not be enthused in the general election.” Meijer rebuked the attack, responding “…As if listening to folks in D.C. is more important than actually reflecting the will of Michigan voters.”
- On social media, Michigan Republicans whacked Peter Meijer’s campaign, saying “We certainly don’t need him in the Senate. Michigan is in bad shape and he’ll only make matters worse.”
- James Craig accused Mike Rogers’ campaign of threatening his career and attempting to bribe him to stay out of the Senate race.
- Trump advisor Adam Veinotte called Mike Rogers a “deep state operative” whose “campaign should be DOA,” and Trump ally Caroline Wrenn said that she “can’t imagine a worse or more dangerous ‘Republican’ candidate for Senate than Mike Rogers.”
See for yourself:
PBS Detroit Off the Record Overtime: Meijer: “I think the biggest difference you’re going to see in this field or with me and the former Congressman is that, frankly, I’m a little bit younger. I have a little bit different perspective. I have a little bit more of a record of not just kind of following into a party line.”
The Steve Gruber Show: In response to a question about Peter Meijer entering the Senate race, Rogers responded: “…It’s irrelevant to what we’re trying to do.”
The Detroit News: “The Michigan Republican Party waded into the fray by tweeting Monday morning: ‘Peter Meijer voted to impeach President Trump. Remember that.’ The post was quickly deleted, and the state GOP issued a statement claiming it was the work of an ‘over-zealous intern.’ … The National Republican Senatorial Committee, the campaign arm of Senate Republicans, however, did not pull its punches. The group’s executive director, Jason Thielman, said Monday that Meijer “isn’t viable in a primary election, and there’s worry that if Meijer were nominated, the base would not be enthused in the general election.”
WJR All Talk: Meijer: “…I have, you know, the- the establishment right, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, coming out and- and dragging me over the coals and telling me that I shouldn’t be in the race. You know, as if listening to folks in D.C. is more important than actually reflecting the will of Michigan voters.”
The Steve Gruber Show: “He [Meijer] has been savaged on social media. Absolutely savaged. People not too interested, apparently… ‘Little Peter Meijer is not going be our next senator. He should stick to bagging groceries at Grandpa’s store,’ said Donny. ‘Why should we be excited for this traitor? Is that Meijer, a superstar fellow? Hard pass. Didn’t he vote to impeach President Trump the day after he was sworn in to Congress?’ Yeah, and from Lady Patriot – ‘Gag. Good grief. We certainly don’t need him in the Senate. Michigan is in bad shape and he’ll only make matters worse. He got voted out of Congress for a reason.’”
The Messenger: Private Power-Player Phone Calls Roil Michigan’s GOP Senate Race: ‘These Things Get Ugly:’
- Where Shields describes her calls as a friendly check-in, Craig accuses Shields of offering him “lucrative or financially beneficial” terms to stay out of the race and said that she also hinted there would be consequences if he jumped in because “these things get ugly.”
- Craig’s adviser, August Atencio, said Shields was more direct and menacing with him.
- “Omg Katie Shields offered Chief money to get out of the race,” Atencio texted a consultant allied with Craig at 2:56 p.m., according to a time-stamped copy of the contemporaneous message furnished to The Messenger. A moment later, he texted, Shields coincidentally called. They spoke for five minutes, call logs show.
- It also suggests what’s in store for Michigan once Craig challenges Rogers: a brutal Republican primary where once-friendly allies are already accusing each other of skullduggery and outright deceit.
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