According to a report by The Hill, the Senate GOP's campaign arm is engaged in a clash with former Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.) over his bid for an open Senate seat in Michigan. Meijer, who lost his House seat in the last political cycle, is running for the seat of retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.).

The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) has shown interest in former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) to join the race and swiftly attempted to dampen Meijer's bid by claiming that he would not be able to win a GOP primary or rally the base to secure a general election victory. Jason Thielman, the executive director of NRSC, stated, "Peter Meijer isn't viable in a primary election, and there's worry that if Meijer were nominated, the base would not be enthused in the general election."

Meijer's campaign wasted no time in responding to the NRSC's criticism. In a statement to The Hill, they said, "Not surprised that DC Republicans prefer someone who won't rock the boat and will do as he's told. That's not me." The campaign emphasized their focus on Michigan voters' opinions, stating, "I care more about what Michigan voters think. NRSC admits on background that they'd prefer a centrist... and that's fine. That's not me either. I'm a constitutionalist conservative."

This clash highlights the potential for a turbulent GOP primary as the NRSC deviates from their previous stance of avoiding involvement in Republican primaries. The Michigan GOP Senate race already includes former Detroit Police Chief James Craig and other contenders.

Meijer's vote to impeach former President Trump after the events at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, is a point of contention. However, Meijer confirmed in an interview on "The Steve Gruber Show" that he would support whichever candidate is the Republican nominee for the presidency in 2024, with Trump currently leading in polls for the GOP's nomination. Meijer stated, "I stand by it... My regret is that we had to have the vote in the first place."

The clash between the Senate GOP campaign arm and Meijer highlights the divisions within the Republican Party and sets the stage for a potentially competitive and heated primary race in Michigan.