Former Michigan Rep. Pete Hoekstra easily won the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate this week. He now faces two-term Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow. The senator holds a double-digit lead according to two different polls, but Hoekstra says when voters understand how Stabenow has been a loyal follower and supporter of President Obama’s agenda – which Hoekstra says has been terrible for Michigan and the nation. The GOP nominee also takes aim at a common Obama narrative that his administration’s bailout and restructuring saved the U.S. auto industry. Hoekstra says the Obama approach will reap temporary benefits because of all of the money spent but he insists a free market approach would have set up Detroit for much stronger growth in the long term. As for the state of his campaign, Hoekstra admits a Superbowl ad brought a lot of trouble for the campaign. The ad featured a girl in China thanking Debbie “Spend It Now” for making China rich off our debt and the recipient of U.S. jobs. Unions and other critics blasted the campaign on multiple fronts and Hoekstra slipped in the polls. Hoekstra says many lessons were learned in that experience and claims his campaign is stronger than ever for having endured it.