Chuck Schumer is reading the writing on the wall and it does not look good for Democrats. The Senate race in Michigan is heating up as GOP candidate John James is pulling ahead of Democrat candidate Gary Peters and it’s making Schumer nervous. The Senate Minority Leader is so nervous that he is teaming with a Super PAC throwing $5.4 million behind ad spending for Peters in an attempt to keep him in office and keep Michigan blue. A memo from James’ campaign says the money is “the most money they are spending on any Democrat in the entire nation.”
In a report from Fox News:
Fundraising in the race has been neck-and-neck. Peters, who has a history of winning some tough races, has raised about $21 million through the second quarter whereas James has raised about $20 million. Peters already announced he brought in another $14 million in the third quarter. James had not yet publicly announced his fundraising haul, but the memo sent to the campaign’s steering committee revealed James also brought in $14 million.
“James has kept pace with his opponent and continues to exceed nationwide trends,” Sandler wrote in the memo, which also says their internal polling has the race essentially “tied” at 48% for Peters and 46% for James — within the margin of error.
Meanwhile, the Senate Majority PAC has been going on offense and spending millions to try to defeat Republicans like Sens. Cory Gardner in Colorado, David Perdue in Georgia, Steve Daines in Montana, Susan Collins in Maine, Thom Tillis in North Carolina, Martha McSally in Arizona and Joni Ernst in Iowa.
But the large amount the PAC has been spending in Michigan stands out because it’s to defend a sitting Democratic senator rather than flip a red state. Federal election records reviewed by the Center for Responsive Politics confirm that James is the only nonsitting senator to be a major target of negative ads.
This race is expected to be the most expensive contest in Michigan’s history, most likely to top $100 million according to the Michigan Campaign Finance Network. The Democrats are holding nothing back as they attempt to regain control of the Senate.
