LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Gary Peters will return to Washington D.C. for another term in the U.S. Senate.
U.S. Senator Gary Peters released the following statement on his reelection to the United States Senate:
“I am sincerely honored that the voters of Michigan have once again put their trust and confidence in me to represent them in the United States Senate. As we look ahead, I am energized to keep working to move our state forward and continue putting Michigan first. Most of all, I want to extend my gratitude for all of our hardworking election officials and every single person who believed in me, who believed in our mission and volunteered their time and efforts into fighting for a better future.”
Michigan, thank you. It's an honor to serve you for another six years in the U.S. Senate.
— Gary Peters (@GaryPeters) November 5, 2020
To all who believed in us, gave your time and effort in our fight: thank you for putting your trust in me. I'm so grateful and energized to keep working to move our state forward.
Peters wins a tight race, against Republican challenger John James, who has now now his second race for U.S. Senate. He Lost to Senator Debbie Stabenow in 2018 by a margin of 52% to 46%.
Peters held a small lead over James in the final polls leading up to the election after earlier in the summer, some polls showed the race as a complete tie.
39-year-old James, is a West Point graduate and Iraq war veteran ran on a “faith and family, God and country and service before self,” platform.
After Biden visited Detroit on Oct. 16, he criticized James, the Trump Administration and Republican Party for wanting to dismantle the Affordable Care Act.
“Your opponent calls it a disaster,” Biden said to Democratic incumbent Sen. Gary Peters during the speech. “Talk about a disaster – there’s a disaster. (James says he) is 2,000% or 200% – or whatever it is – with Trump. I hope everybody remembers.”
James replied to Biden on Twitter, stating he plans to be a “disaster” for the Democratic Party.
“Yeah, it’s a disaster for Democrats in Michigan right now. Because right now, you have an African American running in the Republican Party – not because the party is perfect, but because I can think for myself,” James said. “I was raised by two Democrats in the Jim Crow south with the values of faith and family, God and country and service before self. Those are American values.”
As for Peters, the Pontiac-born and Detroit-raised Democrat ran on the platform of affordable health care, lower prescription drug costs, protecting the Great Lakes, advancing public schools and supporting small businesses.
On Oct. 1, Peters became the senator to have the most standalone bills that President Trump has signed into law, which is more than any other Senate Democrat in the Trump administration, according to Peters’ website.
Those bills range from dispersing COVID-19 aid among vulnerable populations to reinforcing American-made products. Those can be viewed on the national congressional website here.