A former top Detroit police officer has given up on his dreams of becoming a Republican senator.
“This is strictly a business decision,” James Craig told The Associated Press by phone Tuesday. “I’m not leaving because I feel like there’s no support, but from a business side, you need money to run a campaign.”
The decision came just over four months after the campaign began.
Craig was one of the most high-profile Republican candidates when he announced his candidacy in October, aiming to win former President Trump’s support.
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This file photo shows former Detroit Police Chief James Craig speaking to reporters about the protests that took place on June 3, 2020. (Seth Herald/AFP via Getty Images)
But Craig’s Senate campaign has struggled to gain traction, with only a small amount of money raised by the end of 2023, far behind other Senate candidates, according to the latest financial report filed last month. It remained at $60,581.
Republican candidates are seeking to run Rep. Debbie Stabenow, the third-ranking Senate Democrat and retiring. Michigan is considered a battleground state, but Republicans haven’t won a Senate race since 1994.
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Dawn arrives at the Capitol in Washington on Friday, November 6, 2020, in shades of red and blue. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Craig’s withdrawal from the race thins out a crowded Republican field that includes former U.S. Reps. Mike Rogers and Peter Meyer. Detroit-area businessman Sandy Pensler is also running.
On the Democratic side, Rep. Elissa Slotkin is considered the frontrunner for the nomination, leading the party in fundraising with $11.7 million from the start of her campaign in February 2023 to the end of the year.
Former Detroit Police Chief James Craig has announced that he is suspending his Republican campaign for Michigan’s vacant U.S. Senate seat, just over four months after starting his campaign. (AP Photo/Paul Sancia, File)
Craig has been seeking political office since retiring from overseeing the Motor City board in 2021 after eight years. He was also a leading Republican candidate for governor in 2022 until his campaign was derailed by fraudulent signatures on campaign documents.
He told The Associated Press that he is now “strongly considering” running for Detroit mayor next year.
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Current Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan (Democrat) has not yet announced whether he plans to run for a fourth term, the Detroit Free Press reports.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
