TL/DR –
Republican Peter Meijer, who previously voted to impeach ex-President Donald Trump, has withdrawn from the Republican primary race for the U.S. Senate in Michigan. His decision comes prior to a rally in Michigan by Trump, who has endorsed another Republican, Mike Rogers, for the Senate seat, currently held by Democrat Senator Debbie Stabenow who is not running for re-election. Despite Meijer’s exit, another critic of Trump, Justin Amash, remains in the race.
Meijer Withdraws from Michigan Republican Primary Race
Republican Peter Meijer, who voted to impeach former President Trump, has quit the Senate Republican primary race in Michigan, citing altered fundamentals of the campaign and lack of a “strong pathway to victory”.
Meijer announced his withdrawal on Facebook, just days before Trump’s return to Michigan for a rally.
Meijer’s exit precedes a potential rally in Michigan by Trump who endorsed Mike Rogers, a significant Republican running for the Senate seat. Rogers, a seven-term House member and former House Intelligence Committee chairman, will attend the rally, his campaign confirmed.
Meijer’s decision came amidst concerns that his campaign could lead to a divisive primary and distract from conservative victories in November.
Senator Debbie Stabenow’s decision to not seek re-election has resulted in a crowded field of Republicans aiming to secure the seat.
Trump critic Justin Amash, a Republican who left the party in 2019, remains in the race.
Trump’s upcoming Michigan visit coincides with his criminal trial in Manhattan. It’s important to note that the former president lost Michigan to Biden in 2020, impacting his re-election bid.
Trump’s influence remains strong in Michigan, having won the Republican delegates at the state party’s convention in March.
Meijer, a former Army Reserve veteran and heir to the Meijer supermarket empire, lost his House seat during the 2022 midterm elections to a Trump-endorsed challenger. Democrat Hillary Scholten subsequently won the seat in the general election.
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