Former Detroit Police Chief launches Michigan Senate bid as Republican

Former Detroit Police Chief James Craig on Tuesday announced he would seek the Republican nomination for Senate in 2024.

The seat Craig aims to occupy is currently held by the retiring Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow. He will join former Michigan Rep. Mike Rogers in vying for the party nomination.

He faces an uphill battle in that contest as the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee directly recruited Rogers, the New York Times reported.

Craig, who served as police chief from 2013-2021, considers himself a populist and says he has discussed his bid with Trump campaign officials. Speaking to Fox News, he identified a litany of problems facing the nation today that had motivated his decision to run.

"Everything that I see going on today … it's frustrating," he told the outlet. "I'm angry about so much when it comes to open borders and seeing the level of fentanyl poisoning. I don't call it overdose. I call it poisoning because it's by design and these Mexican cartels are allowing this poison or bringing this poison into America."

"We were energy independent under the former president. And now, in places like California, gas is like $7 a gallon and going up," he went on. "Interest rates are high. The American dream is just that – it's a real dream now. For most young people hoping to purchase their first home, that's an impossibility."

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.