Leftist Senator Scrambling to Retain Seat

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LANSING, Mich. (ChurchMilitant.com) - A tight race in Michigan could see the progressive senatorial incumbent replaced by his pro-life challenger.

Republican John James is polling only slightly behind incumbent Democrat Gary Peters, according to an analysis published on Tuesday.

This from a CBS News/YouGov survey showing Peters' lead over James had narrowed to just 3% (47% to 44%) and a New York Times/Siena College poll showing the Democrat with a single point lead over the Republican (43% to 42%).

The New York Times poll revealed Peters is not doing as well with African American and younger voters as presidential hopeful Joe Biden. In fact, the survey showed that enthusiasm for James among voters in those groups is similar to enthusiasm for Donald Trump.

With a number of seats likely to flip Democrat in November, a James victory might permit Republicans to maintain their current Senate majority.

Abortion Lobby Fully Backs Peters

The pro-abortion lobby is fighting hard to stabilize Peters' seat.

"Abortion is health care," begins a social media post published on Wednesday by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan (PPAM). "And health care decisions are deeply personal. Thank you, Sen. Peters, for sharing your story and fighting to ensure Michiganders can access the care they need without political interference."

The PPAM post shares an interview wherein Peters tells Rachel Maddow about his ex-wife's abortion.

"My family's story is a painful reality shared by so many American families — often alone and in fear," Peters says in his own post of the interview. "These decisions are gut-wrenching and should not be dictated by politics. Thank you to Rachel Maddow for having me on to share my experience during such a pivotal moment."

According to an interview Peters did with Elle, published on Monday, his first wife's water broke four months into the pregnancy. The first doctor advised the couple to wait for a natural miscarriage, but the next day, a second doctor advised an abortion for the health of the mother — advice the couple followed.

Critics point out that, leaving aside the question of the mother's health, Peters' personal account has nothing to do with the majority of abortions in the country, which are elective.

Peters supports abortion on demand, earning him in 2019 a voting score of 100% with NARAL Pro-Choice America (NARAL), a pro-abortion lobbying group. NARAL has endorsed Peters for reelection and decried a pro-life group for endorsing his opponent, saying in a tweet, "An extreme anti-choice organization is backing both Trump and @GaryPeters' right-wing challenger, John James. James is so extreme on opposing reproductive freedom for Michigan women that he's earned this group's [RLM-PAC's] early endorsement."

"I am honored to receive NARAL's endorsement," Peters said in response. "At a time when women's health care and reproductive freedoms are under attack in Michigan and around the country, it is more important than ever to have leaders who will fight to defend them."

The Democrat incumbent also has the official endorsement of the nation's largest abortion chain. Peters "has advocated for patients' access to sexual and reproductive health care through his entire career in state and federal politics," reads Planned Parenthood Action Fund's webpage on Peters.

The National Organization for Women, a pro-abortion feminist lobby group, also endorses Peters as "an advocate for reproductive freedom and the ability for everyone to make personal choices about their own bodies," according to his official campaign website.

Right to Life Michigan Fully Backs James

The Right to Life of Michigan Political Action Committee (RLM-PAC) endorses James for his unwavering commitment to every human being's life.

RLM-PAC's chairman, Paul Miller, said, "John James is a wonderful man who will protect unborn children. He has cleared the field. He ran a strong 2018 campaign against Sen. Debbie Stabenow. It was unfortunate that he had to use resources on a primary challenge from a candidate who wasn't 100% pro-life."

"Having a pro-life Senate is vital, and it may come down to John James. After the Kavanaugh nomination, it should be clear that a Senate with a pro-abortion majority will not just block nominees who don't agree with them, but personally destroy them," he added.

In a tweet from 2018, James said, "This week marks the 45th anniversary of #RoevWade. I am 100% #ProLife because I believe life begins at conception and ends at a natural death."

"We will not stop fighting until we end abortion; for it is our sacred duty to protect the most vulnerable among us, the unborn," he added.

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