MI-03: On Tuesday, state Rep. Jim Lower dropped out of the GOP primary to take on independent Rep. Justin Amash.
Lower launched a primary bid against Amash in May days after the incumbent, who was still a Republican at the time, took to social media and wrote that he believed Donald Trump "has engaged in impeachable conduct." However, several other Republicans went on to join the race, and Amash himself announced in July that he was leaving the GOP. Lower’s fundraising collapsed during the third quarter of 2019, and he acknowledged on Tuesday it would be tough for him to be “financially competitive.”
Amash hasn’t ruled out giving up his seat in Congress to challenge Trump as an independent or a Libertarian, but for now, the incumbent is seeking a sixth term in this 52-42 Trump district. Amash took in $150,000 during his first quarter as an independent, and he ended September with $273,000 in the bank.
Several Republicans are competing in the August primary for this seat in the Grand Rapids area, and Army veteran Peter Meijer holds a financial edge over the rest of the field. Meijer, who hails from a prominent Michigan billionaire family, raised $306,000 during his opening quarter and self-funded another $104,000, and he had $343,000 to spend at the end of September.
Businessman Joel Langlois only took in $47,000 from donors but self-funded another $200,000, and he had $197,000 in the bank. State Rep. Lynn Afendoulis raised $114,000 and had $146,000 to spend, while military veteran Tom Norton only had about $1,000 on-hand.
Democrats are hoping that the unpredictable state of affairs on the right will give them an opening in this historically red seat, and two notable candidates are running. Hillary Scholten outraised fellow attorney Nick Colvin $234,000 to $125,000, and she ended September with a $165,000 to $136,000 cash-on-hand lead.