Peter Meijer, a Republican, lost his primary election in Michigan for the 3rd Congressional district. The US Representative was running against John Gibbs, who was installed and endorsed by former President Donald Trump.
Meijer, 34, voted to impeach then-President Donald Trump from the White House after the January 6 riots in the US Capitol. A total of 10 Republicans joined Democrats in the House of Representatives to impeach Trump.
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Meijer is the second Republican who voted to impeach and lost his Congressional seat this year in the primary elections. Two other Republicans — Jaime Herrera Beutler and Dan Newhouse — are also on the ballot on August 2, 2022.
“A Constitutional Republic like ours requires leaders who are willing to take on the big challenges, to find common ground when possible, and to put their love of country before partisan advantage,” Meijer said in a statement.
“Though this was not the outcome we hoped for, I will continue to do everything possible to move the Republican Party, West Michigan, and our country in a positive direction”, he added.
Trump has vowed revenge against the 10 House Republicans who crossed party lines for the impeachment vote, and he endorsed GOP challengers to them in the midterm elections.
In Washington state, Herrera Beutler and Newhouse have an advantage over Meijer because their primaries are nonpartisan, and the top two vote-getters, regardless of political party, will move on to the general election in November.
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Each faces crowded fields with multiple Republican candidates, increasing the likelihood that their opponents will split the vote amongst themselves.
Newhouse had a narrow lead over Democratic party’s Doug White in the 4th Congressional District, which Newhouse has represented since 2015. Republican Loren Culp, a former small-town police chief endorsed by Trump, was in third place in early returns.
