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El-Sayed And Rogers Clash In Michigan Senate Debate Over Iran War And Trump Tariffs
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El-Sayed accused Rogers of being Trump’s ally in the Senate. Debate centered on Iran war, economy, and Israel–Palestine policy.
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Michigan Iran War Clash
In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers faced off in a final debate less than two weeks before the November 3 midterm elections, exchanging accusations over their political views and the US-Israel war on Iran.
Rogers questioned some of Trump’s tariffs, describing them as a “mixed bag,” while insisting, “If it’s good for Michigan, I’m going to be for it. If it’s bad for Michigan, I’m going to be against it,” as he argued he would put Michigan’s interests first.
El-Sayed accused Rogers of supporting the war on Iran, and El-Sayed said, “The consequences of this war are that you are paying nearly $5 [per gallon, or 3.8 litres] in gas.”
Rogers pushed back on El-Sayed’s repeated references to Trump, saying, “The bingo game ought to be how many times can he put the word Trump in any answer that he has given in the last, whatever, 30 minutes,” and calling it “It’s ridiculous.”
Loyalty, Muslim Brotherhood
Rogers raised a question about El-Sayed’s loyalty to the United States, asking, “are you under the protection of the United States or under the protection of these foreign terrorist groups?”
El-Sayed repudiated the Muslim Brotherhood and responded, “Questioning my commitment to the Constitution is truly beneath you. I am proud of the United States.”
Rogers also appealed to Democrats who supported Haley Stevens, telling voters, “If you were a Haley Stevens voter and you came out of this and you said, ‘Man, I just can’t do it. He’s too extreme,’ well, guess what? You’ll have a home with us,” while arguing a growing number were backing him.
El-Sayed tied Rogers to Trump and said, “Donald Trump is on the ballot through Mike Rogers. They are hip-to-hip on this war, and you are paying the cost,” as he argued the debate’s stakes were national.
Rogers questioned whether El-Sayed could get a security clearance for classified information, and the dispute centered on accusations El-Sayed rejected as shameful.
Control of the Senate
The debate outcomes were framed as consequential for which party ends up controlling the Senate, with Republicans currently dominating Congress’s upper chamber with 53 of its 100 seats, Democrats holding 45, and two senators independents who caucus with the Democratic Party.
In Kansas, Republican Senator Roger Marshall and his Democratic opponent, Adam Hamilton, disagreed about the rising price of diesel and President Donald Trump’s plan to import Russian fuel, and the results of both elections were described as influencing Senate control.
In Michigan, the contest to replace retiring Sen. Gary Peters was described as a race that could tip the chamber, with the seat no longer held by Democratic Senator Gary Peters and the outcome potentially tilting the balance.
The Detroit News said advertising spending in the race was expected to top $300 million by Election Day on Nov. 3, and it described the contest as helping determine control of the U.S. Senate next term.
In the final days of the campaign, the Michigan Secretary of State reported that over 780,000 ballots had already been returned, while early in-person voting in the state kicks off on Saturday.
