Rogers, El-Sayed meet in final Michigan U.S. Senate debate

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(The Center Square) – Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers faced off in their final debate Wednesday night, making closing arguments to Michigan voters just 12 days before Election Day.

The economy, healthcare, the war with Iran and immigration took center stage during the heated debate.

The Michigan U.S. Senate race is among the most competitive contests in the nation, drawing millions of dollars in spending from both parties.

The race’s central themes resurfaced Wednesday night, with Rogers accusing El-Sayed of having an “extreme ideology,” while El-Sayed criticized Rogers for supporting President Donald Trump and his policies.

“We need to turn the page on Donald Trump, but that means we need to stand up to Donald Trump,” El-Sayed said. “We need to take on the corruption of our politics. We need money out of politics, money in your pocket and Medicare for all.”

Rogers pushed back on that "slogan."

“There's nothing behind it,” Rogers said in response. “Matter of fact, when his new Democrat Socialist-aligned policies are engaged, money in your pocket – you'll be lucky to have a damn pair of pants when you're done.”

The debate repeatedly returned to Trump, with El-Sayed calling out the ongoing war in Iran and tariffs.

“Mike is right. You're going to hear two very different visions. You're going to hear the MAGA vision, where you stand hip to hip with Donald Trump on all of his worst policies,” he said. “Donald Trump is on the ballot through Mike Rogers. They are hip to hip on this war, and you are paying the cost.”

El-Sayed also advocated for abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“He wants to stand arm in arm with Donald Trump around what ICE has been doing. I believe that we don't need ICE,” El-Sayed said. “We need to make sure we have a clear pathway to citizenship, so that people can come here and take opportunities that are legal for them.”

Rogers criticized El-Sayed’s policy positions, arguing they would be too costly and risky for the country.

“We cannot afford Adbul El-Sayed’s policies and we cannot risk his ideology,” Rogers said. “If you think about what’s at stake with this election, it’s really not about left and right anymore. It really is about the heart and soul of our country.”

Of the 100 seats in the U.S. Senate, 33 are up for regular election in 2026, along with two special elections. Democrats currently hold 13 of the seats up for election, while Republicans hold 22. The results will help determine which party controls the 120th Congress, putting battleground states such as Michigan at the center of the fight for Senate control.

In 2024, Michigan’s U.S. Senate race was decided by less than half a percentage point, with Democrat Elissa Slotkin narrowly defeating Rogers. Rogers returned as the Republican nominee in 2026 after securing the party’s nomination unopposed.

Currently, experts consider the outcome of the race likely Democrat, while betting markets give El-Sayed a 69% chance of winning.

The polling in the U.S. Senate race marks a shift from before the primary, when Rogers held the advantage over El-Sayed. Now, the most-recent polling has El-Sayed leading Rogers 48% to 44.5%.

That is according to the average of the five most recent polls compiled by 270toWin, with the most-recent posted on Oct. 11. The gap has widened in El-Sayed’s favor as time has passed since the Aug. 4 primary.

Absentee ballots have already begun going out across Michigan, and early in-person voting is set to begin on Saturday.