El-Sayed and Rogers spar over Iran and Trump, and toss insults, in Michigan Senate debate
The candidates traded personal attacks as Rogers pressed El-Sayed on donors and El-Sayed tied his rival to Trump-backed policies and outside money.
- On Thursday, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers clashed during their first Senate debate in Michigan, trading sharp attacks over foreign policy and trade. The event, hosted by NBC affiliate WOOD and moderated by Rick Albin, highlighted the intense rivalry.
- Trade policy took center stage as tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods became a flashpoint. El-Sayed attacked Rogers' shifting position on the trade war, citing $5,600 annual household costs.
- Healthcare and foreign policy dominated the policy exchange; Rogers labeled El-Sayed's support for "Medicare for All" a "disaster" for private insurance. El-Sayed criticized the war in Iran, arguing it threatens the United States' energy supply.
- Aggressive attacks defined the debate as Rogers accused El-Sayed of being a "con man" and questioned his supporters' ties to terrorist groups. Albin struggled to maintain order, pleading with both candidates to rein in their aggressive tactics.
- With control of the U.S. Senate in play, the Michigan Senate race remains a critical battleground that could determine partisan control of the chamber. Vice President JD Vance has weighed in, focusing on polarizing issues of faith and ethnicity.
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El-Sayed, Rogers clash in heated Michigan U.S. Senate debate - The Daily Bo Snerdley
(The Center Square) – Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers clashed in a heated first debate Thursday night, trading personal attacks as the two run in the 2026 U.S. Senate race. The debate comes as Michiganders have already begun voting, with absentee ballots being sent out beginning Sept. 24. The campaigns both declared the night a win for their respective candidates. “One thing that was made clear tonight – Mike Rogers is going…
El-Sayed Stumbles in Michigan Senate Debate With Mike Rogers
Rogers was ready with a response: “He owns a home in the United Arab Emirates. At least Florida is in the United States.” The post El-Sayed Stumbles in Michigan Senate Debate With Mike Rogers first appeared on Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion.
In combative first Michigan Senate debate, Rogers and El-Sayed trade attacks
The first debate in Michigan’s closely watched U.S. Senate race turned combative Thursday as Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed repeatedly traded personal attacks, talked over each other and even continued arguing during a commercial break.
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