RUTHFULLY YOURS

Republican John James outraised Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) in the first quarter of 2020 in Michigan’s Senate race.

James’s campaign announced Tuesday he raised $4.8 million in the first three months of 2020 while Peters raked in $4 million. James has outraised Peters for three consecutive quarters.

“This is a difficult time for Michigan. We are grateful for the support of our grassroots, across Michigan and the country, especially during these past few challenging months,” said James campaign spokesperson Abby Walls. “Our focus has been on serving Michiganders in need. That is the leadership voters are looking for—a proven leader who has shown he will get results for Michigan, even in the toughest of environments.”

Despite James’s fundraising strength, Peters has outraised James overall in the 2020 cycle so far, raking in $13.4 million compared to just under $13 million for James. The incumbent senator also boasted a hefty war chest of $8 million heading into 2020, a record-setting cash-on-hand for a Senate race in Michigan heading into an election year.

“We’re so grateful for the overwhelming support our campaign has received from folks across Michigan,” said Dan Farough, Peters’s campaign manager. “As this campaign continues to break records and build momentum from grassroots donors, it’s clear Michiganders want to keep Gary’s effective leadership in the Senate.”

Neither campaign released their total cash on hand totals in their Tuesday announcements.

Republicans are keen to unseat Peters after Trump narrowly won Michigan in 2016 and are hopeful that James, a 38-year-old African American businessman and combat veteran, can help expand its electorate. James also has the support of President Trump, who called him a “rising star” and even briefly considered him to become United Nations ambassador last year.

The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election handicapper, rates the Michigan Senate race as “Lean” Democratic.