John James, a Republican businessman running for U.S. Senate, said President Donald Trump’s strong-arm trade policies are “standing up for American workers and businesses.”

During a Thursday guest appearance on conservative commentator Ben Shapiro’s radio show, James said “no one wants to be on the front of a trade war" but something needed to be done to stop other countries from taking advantage of American workers. James acknowledged Michigan’s automotive and agriculture industries are significantly impacted by changes in trade policy but did not directly reference the president’s tariffs.

Trump endorsed James, 37, early in his unsuccessful 2018 challenge to U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing. James was unable to stop Stabenow from earning a third term, losing by 6.5 percentage points, but his performance impressed Republican Congressional recruiting organizations, spokesmen said.

The National Republican Congressional Committee and National Republican Senatorial Committee competed to recruit James, who announced he will seek the Republican Party’s nomination for U.S. Senate during a June 6 appearance on “Fox & Friends.”

Shapiro said the Senate race will have implications on Trump’s re-election effort, saying Trump must win Michigan to stay in the White House. Incumbent U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township is one of two Democratic senators facing re-election in a Trump state.

Trump won Michigan by 10,704 votes in 2016, a narrow margin leaving MDP Chair Lavora Barnes confident that Democrats can reclaim the state in 2020.

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesperson Stewart Boss said James will have to answer for Trump’s agenda, especially steel and aluminum tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada. A 2018 analysis of the tariffs estimated $2.3 billion of state exports would be subject to retaliatory tariffs imposed by both countries.

Peters’ campaign also expects Trump to be a liability for Republicans in 2020, according to a staff memo shared with MLive.com. Peters spoke out against the negative impact tariffs have on Michigan industry during the Mackinac Policy Conference last month.

“We all agree that if you have a country that is violating trade rules they need to be held accountable, but if you are being tough you have to be smart,” Peters said at the time. “(We) don’t have to be going after our allies.”

Trump announced the U.S. reached a deal to lift tariffs on steel and aluminum coming from Mexico and Canada, the latter of which is Michigan’s largest trading partner.

James said Trump’s trade agenda makes a stand against trading allies who have long taken advantage of American workers.

“I believe that free but fair trade is an absolute imperative,” James said.

James said Michigan will be “at the center” of the 2020 presidential election. He said voters realize economic success under the Trump administration needs to continue.

Recent public opinion polling by Glengariff Group on behalf of WDIV-Ch. 4 and The Detroit News found found 54% of Michigan voters have an unfavorable impression of Trump. A survey of 600 people found 51% of voters said they would vote for someone else, with former Vice President Joe Biden with the strongest support out of the possible Democratic challengers.

The poll has a 4% margin of error.

Shapiro said James has a “sterling record” but was ignored by the national media in 2018.

The West Point graduate and U.S. Army veteran positioned himself an “independent thinker," blaming both parties for failing to fix a broken system. James said gained leadership experience through building his father’s business and surviving the Iraq War.

“We need someone who has a passion for serve, a clear vision for the future and the energy to implement this,” James said Thursday.

As a black Republican, James said he won’t “fit into someone’s perfect box.” He said his father overcame racism to find success and America needs to offer that promise to everyone, but career politicians divide the country along racial lines for their own benefit.

James said he feels called to service, and promised to donate 5-cents of every fundraising dollar to charity.

Peters already marshaling its resources for a 2020 re-election campaign. A memo released by the campaign last week touted the strongest first-quarter fundraising numbers in the state’s history, with $3 million in cash on-hand for the race.

The freshman senator and U.S. Navy Reserve veteran ran unopposed in the 2014 Democratic primary and went on to beat Republican Terri Lynn Land by 14 percentage points.