Greens, union launch $2.1M operation in Michigan Senate race

The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is teaming up with a national union group for a $2.1 million turnout campaign to elect Democratic Senate candidate Rep. Gary Peters (Mich.).

Peters is running against Republican Terri Lynn Land for the open Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Carl Levin (D).

{mosads}The conservation group said on Thursday that it is partnering with the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees for the campaign, which will launch in October.

The turnout operation will contact more than a million registered voters across the state by Election Day.

“The oil billionaire Koch Brothers are behind a multimillion-dollar campaign to buy their ally Terri Lynn Land a Senate seat. This campaign will ensure that voters learn the truth about Land’s extreme anti-environmental agenda,” said Daniel J. Weiss, senior vice president of campaigns for the LCV. “We’re proud to join with AFSCME to inform Michigan voters that Rep. Gary Peters stands for public health protection and job creation.”  

Land has funneled a large amount of money into the race but the party has admitted it’s an uphill battle. Land is a strong proponent of oil and gas development. She supports the Keystone XL oil pipeline, and has sought to tie Peters to Democratic megadonor Tom Steyer.

According to recent polling Peters has a small lead, and is pushing his environmental policy chops as much as possible.

A separate poll released by the LCV and the AFSCME on Thursday found Peters leading Land 43 percent to 37 percent. The poll, conducted by Benenson Strategy Group, surveyed 900 likely voters.