STERLING HEIGHTS, MI - Kellyanne Conway, counselor to President Donald Trump, did not attend a rally she was set to headline in Macomb County Thursday night.

Before the cancellation, Conway was set to rally for candidates including Republican governor candidate Bill Schuette and Republican U.S. Senate candidate John James.

"I am highly disappointed that I will not be able to take part in tonight's 'Get Out the Vote' Rally, due to unforeseen aircraft mechanical problems," Conway said in a statement released and read to event attendees.

"However, I am incredibly excited by the tremendous momentum John James, Bill Schuette, and the rest of the Michigan Republican ticket has shown over the past weeks, and I will make every effort to come to Michigan prior to the Election.

"I look forward to lending my support to Michigan's tremendous grass roots efforts. I am confident that on Tuesday, November 6, the people of Michigan will once again vote to drain the swamp and will send career politician Debbie Stabenow into retirement," she said in the statement.

James is running to unseat Stabenow for the U.S. Senate seat.

He has support from people like Richard Southern, a retired judge who attended the event in Macomb. He's voted for Stabenow in the past, but thinks she got trapped in holding the line for Democrats in Washington.

"He seems to be even-tempered and hardworking and he believes in merit, hard work, tending to business, and I believe in that. He's not a big government guy, not a handout guy, and I'm not either," Southern said.

He was a little disappointed Conway couldn't make it but understood the mechanical problems.

"I'm a big fan of hers. I always like it when she's interviewed because she doesn't try to overwhelm but she usually says something fresh that's a little bit off the talking points and I've always thought she tried to honestly respond to the questions," Southern said.

Other candidates and area officials did still speak at the event. In attendance were statewide candidates including Republican Secretary of State candidate Mary Treder Lang and Republican Attorney General candidate Tom Leonard.

Conway was to be the latest in a stream of Trump surrogates that have visited Michigan in the lead-up to the election. Vice President Mike Pence, Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. and Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump have all visited the state in recent weeks.

Trump himself has not visited in the lead-up to the general election, and speculation abounds on whether he will. He is making stops in surrounding states but has not announced publicly any stops in Michigan.

Conway's stop was to take place in Macomb County, where Trump won handily in the 2016 presidential election.