Former Detroit police chief launches Senate bid in Michigan

Former Detroit Police Chief James Craig launched a bid for the open Senate seat in Michigan, becoming the second major Republican candidate in the 2024 race. 

Craig made the announcement Tuesday in a video posted on the website set up for his campaign, saying he would bring “strong leadership” to the position to help families, small businesses and the victims of crime. 

The video includes a voiceover of Craig talking about individuals who are “political servants, not public servants” and shows videos of prominent Democrats including Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), President Biden and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the former Speaker. 

Slotkin is running in the Democratic primary for the seat and seems likely to become the party’s nominee. 

“Our country is going in a bad direction. Americans want better, and they want something different, and we’re going to give it to them,” Craig said. 

Craig joins former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) in the race for the GOP nomination. Several other candidates have also entered the race. 

Former Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.) has formed an exploratory committee to consider a run and appears likely to also mount a bid. 

Craig served as the chief of the Detroit Police Department for about eight years before he retired to run for governor of Michigan in 2022. He was among the more prominent candidates in a large field but was ultimately disqualified from the ballot for the GOP nomination following the revelation that some signatures on his candidate petitions were fraudulent. 

Craig’s campaign website mentions several issues he would want to focus on if elected, including a shift away from what he calls “soft-on-crime” policies, enhancing border security, “dismantling the bureaucratic state,” cutting taxes and creating term limits for members of Congress. 

Rogers’s decision to join the race was a victory for the Senate Republicans’ campaign arm and its chairman, Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), who had been looking for a potentially strong candidate in the race that had not had a clear choice for GOP nominee. 

Craig will likely try to position himself as a closer ally to former President Trump, whom he has endorsed for president, than the more moderate Rogers.

The candidates will compete for the seat being vacated by the retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D), who has been in office since 2001.

The seat would be key for Republicans attempting to win back control of the Senate; the GOP needs to pick up one or two seats to have a majority.