Michigan Senate candidates spar in final debate over Trump alignment and stark policy divides
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Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed used their last debate to trade sharp attacks, with El-Sayed portraying Rogers as tethered to Trump’s agenda and Rogers casting El-Sayed as deceptive, radical, and potentially unfit for security clearance.
Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers and Democratic former health official Abdul El-Sayed faced off Wednesday in the final debate of the tightly contested Michigan Senate race, a contest increasingly shaped by Republican extremism and Democratic warnings about the stakes. The candidates traded accusations, with El-Sayed calling Rogers a "sock puppet" for President Trump and Rogers portraying El-Sayed as untrustworthy and tied to past left-wing positions.
El-Sayed argued that Rogers’ platform reflects a “MAGA vision,” saying the former congressman stands “hip-to-hip with Donald Trump on all of his worst policies, the policies that are raising the price of your gas, making it impossible to afford your groceries.” He added, "He's going to bend to Donald Trump because he is a sock puppet for the man."
Rogers countered that El-Sayed was trying to turn every issue into a Trump talking point, saying, "He wants to make this about Donald Trump. The bingo game ought to be: 'How many times can he put Trump in any answer?'" He also accused El-Sayed of a “pattern of deception” and suggested the Democrat’s background could raise a national-security concern, questioning whether he could obtain a security clearance.
The discussion turned to foreign policy, with El-Sayed criticizing the Iran conflict as a driver of high consumer prices and urging a War Powers Resolution. He acknowledged Iran remains a threat but said the Obama-era nuclear deal had contained it, a pact President Trump later withdrew. Rogers called Iran “absolutely” a threat and warned that Iranian control of the Strait of Hormuz or a nuclear capability could push gas prices higher.
On domestic issues, Rogers attacked El-Sayed’s support for Medicare for All, quipping, "Money in your pocket? You'll be lucky to have a damn pair of pants when you're done," while El-Sayed countered that large corporations were extracting money from voters and that a single-payer system could cost less than current healthcare spending.
The candidates also touched on trade, with El-Sayed criticizing President Trump’s tariffs but indicating openness to selective duties, and Rogers describing the tariffs as a “mixed bag” while noting ongoing reshoring of manufacturing.
After the debate, Rogers said he planned to attend President Trump’s upcoming rally in Michigan, though details were not finalized.