Republican John James has surged to the lead over incumbent Michigan Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, a new poll shows.
James is leading Peters 44.2% to 43.2%, according to the new poll conducted by the conservative Restoration Political Action Committee (PAC). The poll shows James’s approval rating soaring among Independents, while Peters’ job disapproval rating increased by 7%. The poll found that 37.3% of Michiganders approve of the job Peters is doing, and 29% disapprove, while 41.3% of Michiganders approve of James, and 19.8% disapprove. This is the first poll to show James leading in the crucial swing state, with Peters currently holding an 8.3% lead in the RealClearPolitics polling average. The Restoration PAC poll surveyed 600 people, and has a margin of error of roughly 3%, putting the difference within the margin of error. (RELATED: Swing State Democrat Senator Up For Re-Election Dodges Questions On Medicare-For-All)
“We are not surprised by the results,” Dan Curry, a spokesman for Restoration PAC, told the Daily Caller. “We thought voters in Michigan would be astonished to know Gary Peters, in his own words, supports ‘many aspects’ of the Green New Deal. The radical plan would kill thousands of jobs and destroy the state’s economy. Understandably, Michigan voters are alarmed by this new information.”
Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., leaves the Senate Democrats policy lunch in the Capitol on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2019. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Peters appears to be one of the more endangered Senate Democrats of the 2020 election cycle and has come under fire from conservatives for not taking a firm stance on arguably far-left proposals such as the Green New Deal and Medicare for All. (RELATED: John James Announces 2020 Senate Bid In Michigan)
Peters has faced questions regarding support for Medicare for All after a video, first discovered by Better Future Michigan, surfaced in which Peters says, “You’re going to have Medicare for All down the road.”
“No one should be surprised that John James — a successful businessman who has a track record of actually creating jobs — is leading a 30-year career-politician who has demonstrated incompetence when it comes to representing Michiganders,” said Ted Goodman, a Republican political operative and John James’s former Communications Director. (Goodman was previously employed by the Daily Caller News Foundation.) “Peters supports Medicare-for-All, the Green New Deal and anything else that he thinks will impress the liberal donor class and radical left now in charge of his party.”
James launched his second run for senate last summer, and raised $1.5 million in his first three weeks. The Michigan businessman and combat veteran gained national attention in 2018 for his closer-than expected senate campaign against long-time Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow, and is expected to have a better shot to unseat Peters, who has the lowest name recognition of any U.S. senator, according to one poll.