Win or lose, Republican U.S. Senate candidate John James promised that his campaign would donate a nickel for every dollar raised to charity.
The James campaign announced Thursday that it has donated $1 million to communities from Detroit and Benton Harbor to Marquette.
"God has blessed me so much, personally, and I will continue to use His blessings to be a blessing to others," James said in a statement. "I am grateful that’s what we’ve been able to accomplish with this program. My heart is in helping others win — helping folks to be more safe, secure and prosperous is my passion."
As of July, the James campaign has raised more than $20 million in his quest to unseat first-term U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, who has raised $21 million in the campaign.
The funds have recently gone to places like Capuchin Soup Kitchen, which received $25,000; the Grand Rapids Veteran Homes, which were given $25,000, and the Central City Integrated Health System in Detroit that received $200,000.
"This Senate race isn’t about me, it’s about the people of Michigan. I’m not waiting until I’m in office to make a difference in my community, I’m doing it now," James continued. "I’m far from perfect, but I do my best to put Jesus’ teachings of love into action by loving my neighbor as myself."The campaign during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic gave a quarter of a million dollars to coronavirus relief efforts for medical equipment and supplies.
The program was announced in June 2019 when James, who lost to U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow in 2018, announced his intentions to run against Peters.
lfleming@detroitnews.com
