Former Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.) announced Friday that he is ending his bid to represent Michigan in the US Senate, a move celebrated by former President Donald Trump, whom Meijer voted to impeach.
“I got into this race because I believed I had the strongest chance of winning in November to work to right this ship and reverse trendlines that have only gotten worse over these past months,” Meijer said in a statement posted on X.
“The hard reality is the fundamentals of the race have changed significantly since we launched this campaign.”
“After prayerful consideration, today I withdrew my name from the primary ballot,” the former congressman continued. “Without a strong pathway to victory, continuing this campaign only increases the likelihood of a divisive primary that would distract from the essential goal – conservative victories in November.”
Meijer was one of 10 Republicans in the House of Representatives that voted to impeach Trump, 77, for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol.
The former president and presumptive GOP nominee for president appeared elated with Meijer’s decision to withdraw his candidacy.
“Congratulations to all Good Republicans!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“Peter Meijer, one of the 10 Impeachers of your Favorite President, ME, and someone thought of to have a very good political future, has just withdrawn from the Senate Race in the Great State of Michigan,” he said. “Once he raised his very little and delicate hand to Impeach President Trump, his Political Career was OVER!”
“Last time he lost in the Primary to a nice, but unknown, person, and now he lost to a GREAT Candidate, Mike Rogers, who will easily WIN the Nomination, and go on to WIN the Senate, BIG, in Michigan,” Trump added. “Happily, the 10 Impeachers are just about gone.”
Of the ten Republicans that voted to impeach Trump, only Reps. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) and David Valadao (R-Calif.) remain in office.
The other eight were Meijer, and former Reps. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio), Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.), John Katko (R-NY), Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), Tom Rice (R-SC) and Fred Upton (R-Mich.).
“Newhouse, in Washington State, will be next – VOTE FOR JERROD SESSLER!” Trump predicated, referencing Newhouse’s District 4 opponent in the August 6 Washington state primary.
Another former House lawmaker, Mike Rogers, is the favorite to make it out of the GOP primary field in Michigan, which also includes former Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.).
Rogers is backed by the National Republican Senatorial Committee – the Senate’s campaign finance arm – and leading in the polls.
On the Democratic side, Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) is polling ahead of her top challenger, actor Hill Harper.
An Emerson College poll released last month shows Slotkin leading Rogers in a potential general election matchup by a narrow margin, 41% to 39%.