Republican challenger outraises Peters by $1 million in Q4

John James, the Republican challenger to Michigan Sen. Gary Peters (D), outraised the incumbent senator by $1 million in the fourth quarter of 2019.

James raised $3.5 million in the final three months of 2019, compared with $2.5 million for Peters, who is finishing his first term in the Senate, according to statements from each campaign.

The fourth quarter marks the second straight trimester in which James outraised Peters. James hauled in more than $3 million in the third quarter, while Peters raised $2.5 million from July through September. 

But Peters has still outraised James overall so far in the campaign cycle, garnering $9.3 million, compared with $8 million raised by the Republican challenger since entering the race in June.

Republicans are keen to unseat Peters after President Trump narrowly won the Wolverine State in 2016.

Trump has called James 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 leaning Democratic.