Peters opens bigger lead over James in Michigan's U.S. Senate race

Democratic U.S. Sen. Gary Peters has opened nearly a double-digit lead over Republican challenger John James a week before Election Day, according to a Detroit News-WDIV poll released Wednesday.

Peters, the first-term senator from Bloomfield Township, leads 48.4% to 38.8% over James, the businessman and Iraq War veteran from Farmington Hills, in the Oct. 23-25 survey of 600 likely state voters. James is running two years after losing by a smaller-than-expected 6.5 percentage points to Michigan's senior U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing,

The poll conducted by the Lansing-based Glengariff Group had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. 

Peters is one of two Democratic senators running for reelection in a state that President Donald Trump won in 2016.

The contest is a key for Republicans trying to maintain leadership of the Senate since they have to defend more seats across the country this election than the Democrats. 

The contest has been expensive, with both sides expected to spend $100 million combined by Election Day.

lfleming@detroitnews.com