Terri Lynn Land, Michigan’s “invisible” senate candidate, is finally stepping into the spotlight.
Since her Mackinac Island gaffe, Land has avoided open press conferences and public appearances, but she announced this week that she will debate opponent Rep. Gary Peters. Land hired former Secretary of State Richard McLellan as her campaign’s debate negotiator, but as of press time, a date for the debate hasn’t been announced.
“Terri is ready to hold Peters accountable for his hypocrisy on everything from immigration and Wall Street to pet coke and the war on women,” said Heather Swift, spokeswoman for the Land Campaign. “Gary Peters wanted this debate — let’s have it.”
McLellan will focus on an invitation from WXYZ-TV in Detroit, MLive reports. The Land campaign will work with Peters’ campaign to find a West Michigan journalist to co-moderate the debate with Chuck Stokes, editorial director for WXYZ.
“Every election is a debate of ideas and Ms. Land would be well served to remember that this U.S. Senate race is not about her, but about the people of Michigan,” the Peters campaign told MLive. “In November, Michiganders will be choosing between two very different visions for the future of our state, our nation, and our middle class.”
Over the course of their campaigns, Peters has challenged Land to five debates, but this is the first time Land has agreed to participate.
Until now, Land has taken a different approach at winning the people of the Great Lakes State, bussing across more than 1,200 miles and appearing at 28 events between Aug. 13 and early September. The campaign also recently ran 1,300 TV ads in one week, according to the Center for Public Integrity. Land ran the second highest total ads of all senate campaigns nationally, after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in Kentucky.
Yet, polls show Peters maintains his lead: the latest tally published Sept. 21 by We Ask America shows Peters with a three-point lead. The republican-leaning Magellan Strategies showed Peters leading by five points, while democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling reported Peters ahead by seven points, according to The Hill.
“The bottom line is that this race is very close and arguably tied with just over seven weeks until Election Day,” Land campaign strategist John Yob wrote in a memo this week. “Republicans have a good chance to win a U.S. Senate seat in Michigan for the first time since 1994.”
