El-Sayed and Rogers trade loyalty attacks in final Michigan Senate debate
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The gist
Michigan Senate nominees Abdul El-Sayed and Mike Rogers attacked each other's loyalties in their final debate.
The tight race could decide Senate control, with Election Day close.
Background
Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee and former executive director of the Detroit Health Department, would be the first Muslim elected to the Senate; Mike Rogers, the Republican nominee, is a former congressman. They are competing for the seat of Democratic Senator Gary Peters, who is retiring, in a race polls indicate is tight and one of a few that could decide Senate control. Democrats have won nine consecutive Senate races in Michigan, and Rogers is trying to become the first Republican to win a Senate race there in more than three decades.
How it unfolded
- Oct 8, 2026The first Michigan Senate debate in Grand Rapids featured sharp exchanges, interruptions and personal attacks.
- Oct 19, 2026El-Sayed campaigned with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez through Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
- Oct 20, 2026El-Sayed and Rogers made dueling appearances at the Detroit Economic Club.
- Oct 21, 2026The second and final debate, at WXYZ Channel 7 in Southfield, covered the economy, national security, health care, manufacturing, Canadian tariffs, immigration enforcement and the war with Iran.
- Oct 21, 2026Rogers questioned whether El-Sayed is loyal to America, claiming he was bought off by the Muslim Brotherhood and had donors supporting Iran-backed extremist groups; El-Sayed called the attack shameful and said he is proud of America and the Constitution.
Who’s saying what
- Rogers
- Rogers cast El-Sayed as untrustworthy and too extreme, saying he is aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America and wants bigger government and more taxes.
- El-Sayed
- El-Sayed called Rogers a sock puppet for Trump, said he would bring down the cost of living, and described himself as a capitalist.
- Analysts
- CNN's takeaways piece covered the Michigan and Kansas debates together, and the race is described as one of a few that could decide Senate control.
Still unverified
Rogers claimed El-Sayed was bought off by the Muslim Brotherhood and had donors supporting Iran-backed extremist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah; El-Sayed has repudiated the Brotherhood. Rogers also claimed El-Sayed was aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America; El-Sayed describes himself as a capitalist and is not a DSA member, though several members support him. CNN described Trump's claim that El-Sayed is a jihadist as a searing false claim.