Peter Meijer drops bid for Michigan Senate seat

Former GOP Rep. Peter Meijer, who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump in 2021, dropped his Senate bid on Friday, citing concerns of weakening the chances of a Republican flipping the Michigan seat in November.

Meijer announced his bid to replace retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Democrat, last November, but his candidacy was met with backlash from the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which had recruited former Rep. Mike Rogers for the seat. The committee was concerned about Meijer's ability to win the general election after he lost his 2022 primary to a Trump-backed challenger.

The former Michigan lawmaker said he would no longer seek the seat to help unite the party around a candidate that could defeat Democrats in November. The three candidates still in the race are Rogers, who chaired the House Intelligence Committee from 2011-2015, former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, and former Rep. Justin Amash.

“After prayerful consideration, today I withdrew my name from the primary ballot,” Meiijer said in the statement shared on X. “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.

"I am deeply humbled by the support our campaign has received, for those who lent time and resources to get us to this point, and for the thousands of Michiganders I met who inspired me on the campaign trail," he added.

Trump celebrated Meijer's exit from the race in a post to Truth Social. Meijer was one of just 10 Republicans in the House that voted to impeach Trump over the events of January 6, 2021. Just two of the lawmakers that voted to impeach Trump remain in the House.

"Congratulations to all Good Republicans! 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the 10 Impeachers of your Favorite President, ME, and someone thought of to have a very good political future, has just withdrawn from the Senate Race in the Great State of Michigan," Trump said in the post. "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 endorsed Rogers in a statement last month, touting his record in Congress and as an Army veteran. Trump also claimed Rogers would enact "America First" policies and work to secure the southern border.