KALAMAZOO, Mich — Sen. Gary Peters set off on his annual motorcycle tour around Michigan Wednesday. He is expected to ride around 800 miles this week.
The tour began in Kalamazoo, and the National Guard’s Grand Valley Armory was one of his first stops. Peters raised close to $26 million last year to help the National Guard Bureau modernize its armories throughout the state. The goal is to ensure their facilities are equipped to support female National Guard members.
"Back when these facilities were designed, women were not part of the National Guard,” says Peters. “Now they represent nearly 20%, and in order to retain members as well as to recruit women into the service, it's important to make sure that they have facilities that are equal to everyone else who is in the building."
The tour began a day after the state’s primary election, in which the U.S. Senate race was a major focus. It gave us a Nov. 5 matchup between Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin and former Republican Congressman Mike Rogers.
Peters is the chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. He says it’s his duty to maintain the Senate’s Democratic majority. That said, Peters says all eyes will be on Michigan in the coming months and on Election Day.
“Michigan is going to be the center of the political universe, both on the presidential race and on the Senate. On the Presidential side, I think it's safe to say it's impossible to be president of the United States if you don't win Michigan,” says Peters. “That's how crucial our state is.”
Peters adds Congresswoman Slotkin “knows how to win in tough districts,” further saying she is “an incredible champion for the people of Michigan.”
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