Meet the Onetime Trump Critic Running Against Abdul El-Sayed

Former Rep. Mike Rogers Campaigns Against Abdul El-Sayed for Michigan Senate Seat

Mike Rogers, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Michigan, is running against Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in the 2026 general election. Rogers previously lost the 2024 Senate race to Sen. Elissa Slotkin by approximately 19,000 votes. He secured the Republican nomination without opposition in both cycles after relocating from Florida to Michigan.

Rogers served as an FBI special agent before winning election to the House of Representatives in 2000. He represented Michigan’s 8th district for seven terms and chaired the House Intelligence Committee from 2011 to 2015. During that period he supported post-9/11 surveillance programs and acted as a public defender of those programs following the 2013 Edward Snowden disclosures. His legislative record included votes for tax cuts and deregulation measures along with continued funding for intelligence and defense activities.

In 2016 Rogers expressed reservations about Donald Trump’s presidential candidacy. After Trump’s election he offered assistance on national security matters. Following the 2020 election, Rogers wrote in a January 5, 2021, op-ed that Trump’s efforts to challenge results sounded “more gangster than presidential.” After the 2022 midterms he stated in an interview with the Washington Post that Trump’s influence had cost Republican candidates in several races. In January 2024 Rogers endorsed Trump for president. Trump subsequently endorsed Rogers, citing his electoral prospects.

Rogers has described the 2026 contest as a “change election” focused on shifting control of Michigan’s state government and its Senate seats. He has emphasized his background in law enforcement and intelligence work. In a campaign statement he said he spent years “hunting terrorists and bringing Osama bin Laden to justice” and contrasted that experience with positions held by his opponent.

El-Sayed won the Democratic primary after defeating Haley Stevens. During the primary he criticized Stevens on economic and health-care issues. In the general election he has described Rogers as aligned with corporate interests, stating that Rogers “voted I-don’t-know-how-many times to raise prescription drug prices” and “helped to architect the opioid crisis.” Rogers advocated during his congressional tenure for expanded access to pain medications. El-Sayed has also noted Rogers’ post-Congress consulting and lobbying work and referenced reports that Rogers accumulated significant assets after leaving office. Rogers has not issued a detailed public response to the specific dollar figure cited by El-Sayed.

Republican groups have highlighted statements made by El-Sayed supporter Hasan Piker. In a 2019 livestream Piker said the United States deserved the September 11 attacks. Rogers’ statement referred to an opponent who “believes America deserves 9/11,” without directly attributing the remark to El-Sayed. The National Republican Senatorial Committee used El-Sayed’s full name, Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed, in a post-primary release. The Senate Leadership Fund stated that El-Sayed’s agenda includes proposals to defund police, abolish prisons, and release violent offenders.

El-Sayed has said he expects Rogers to spend substantial funds on advertising that questions his background and policy positions. He has countered that he remains independent of corporate donors. On primary night El-Sayed predicted a seven-point victory margin in November.

Both candidates have focused their messaging on economic policy, public safety, and federal spending. Rogers has pointed to his committee experience and prior electoral performance in a state that supported Trump in 2024. El-Sayed has stressed progressive positions on health care, criminal justice, and corporate accountability. The race is expected to feature extensive advertising from outside groups on both sides.