In Michigan’s high-stakes Senate race, Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed have agreed to their first debate.
On Oct. 8, less than a month before the election, the two candidates will face off at a Michigan TV station.
“I look forward to taking the stage against conman Abdul El-Sayed to make him answer to the voters for his lies and extremism,” Mr. Rogers said in a Tuesday statement about the agreement.
Mr. El-Sayed, a former Detroit health official, won the Democratic primary in August against Rep. Haley Stevens, a more moderate candidate, by one percentage point.
He calls for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, cutting off all military aid to Israel, and nationalizing the healthcare system.
On Monday, Mr. El-Sayed acknowledged the Oct. 8 agreement but accused Mr. Rogers of having dodged other debates.
“Mike, I’m happy to wipe the floor with you on October 8th, but in case you think we forgot, I challenged you to five debates,” Mr. El-Sayed said in a statement. “I’ve accepted every single debate invite.”
Mr. Rogers, a former congressman endorsed by President Trump, was the Republican Senate nominee in 2024 and lost to Democrat Elissa Slotkin by 20,000 votes.
No candidate opposed Mr. Rogers in the 2026 Republican primary.
The two candidates are vying for the seat vacated by retiring Sen. Gary Peters, a Democrat known as a pragmatist willing to make compromises.
Mr. Rogers argues Mr. El-Sayed’s positions are too extreme for Michigan, while Mr. El-Sayed rips Mr. Rogers as excessively obedient to the president.
Although Michigan helped elect President Trump in 2016 and 2024, the state has not elected a Republican to the Senate in over 30 years.
Democrats need to net four additional seats to gain control of the Senate, meaning they likely cannot afford a loss in the Mitten State.
The Cook Political Report rates the race a toss-up.
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