James’ first post-primary Senate ad blames both parties

Lansing – Republican John James on Tuesday launched his first TV ad for U.S. Senate since winning the Michigan primary, accusing both political parties of pitting Americans against each other and saying he is tired of their “b.s.”

The 30-second ad makes no mention of James’ opponent, third-term Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow, who has led comfortably in the polls. James, an Iraq War veteran and businessman whose support from President Donald Trump helped him secure the GOP nomination over Sandy Pensler, blames both parties for blighted neighborhoods, failing schools and “forgotten” veterans.

“They pit Americans against each other, then they blame the other side when nothing gets done. Well I’m tired of their b.s.,” James says in the ad, which shows people in Detroit complaining about high premiums, undrinkable water and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Unlike in his pre-primary ads, James doesn’t mention Trump, who has had low favorability and job approval ratings among likely Michigan voters.

Stabenow, who entered the general election phase in a much stronger financial position than James, has had the airwaves to herself since mid-August, a week after his primary victory. She most recently launched an ad in which farmers, including at least one Republican, tout her as a different kind of politician who works for consensus and understands agriculture’s importance to the state economy. She is the top Democrat on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry Committee.

In a Glengariff Group poll conducted for The Detroit News and WDIV-TV and published Sept. 10, Stabenow led James 55.5 percent to 33 percent, with 10 percent undecided. Two percent backed a third-party candidate. 54 percent viewed Stabenow favorably and 31 percent unfavorably. James' name ID was at 54 percent with 21 percent favorable to 15.5 percent unfavorable. The poll of 600 likely voters had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.