LANSING — Yesterday in Warren, Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate Abdul El-Sayed, state Senator Mallory McMorrow, and UAW members slammed Mike Rogers for being a “rubber stamp” for Trump’s cost-raising agenda as he campaigned with JD Vance and declared his support for Trump’s reckless trade war with Canada. 

WHAT MICHIGANDERS ARE WATCHING AND READING:

FOX 2 Detroit: Abdul El-Sayed campaigns with state, local leaders in Warren

• ROOP RAJ, FOX 2 DETROIT: Mike Rogers’ challenger in the race for Senate also in Macomb County today, calling out his opponent for what he says is an agenda that’s harming people in Michigan. 

• ABDUL EL-SAYED: We launched a campaign because we just understood that it shouldn’t be this hard. It shouldn’t be this hard to afford a second bag of groceries. It shouldn’t be this hard to pay your rent. It shouldn’t be this hard to see a doctor in the richest, most powerful country in the world. 

• ABDUL EL-SAYED: Meanwhile, Mike Rogers was fielding the call, too. His call didn’t come from the people in the state of Michigan. It didn’t come from hard-working people across this state who understand that things need to get better, and they need to get better faster. It wasn’t about rooting out corporate corruption, because he’s never seen a corporate check he did not want to take. It wasn’t about providing healthcare, because he’s voted to raise your prescription drug prices 19 times. 

• ROOP RAJ, FOX 2 DETROIT: El-Sayed and Rogers are set to debate each other in Grand Rapids in October.  We should mention, we’ve invited both to appear on our debate stage here at Fox 2 on September 15th. El-Sayed is in. We’re still waiting to hear back from the Rogers campaign. They have not said yes or no.  

WWMT: Dems holds press conferences criticizing tariffs

• WWMT: On the Democratic side, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed held a press conference alongside Senator Mallory McMorrow. There, he slammed his opponent Mike Rogers, saying that he aligns with President Trump, and Rogers will follow him blindly. He also criticized the president’s most recent tariffs on Canada.

• ABDUL EL-SAYED: And here we are with Mike Rogers. He has no choice but to rubber stamp, to ‘roger,’ a trade war that is now costing Michiganders — that he says he wants to serve — nearly $6,000 a year. 

WNEM: El-Sayed: Rogers a rubber stamp

• WNEM: In Warren, where he and his allies criticized the Republican rally, the Trump administration’s tariffs and, of course, Rogers. El-Sayed said Rogers will do anything he can to advance Trump’s agenda. 

• ABDUL EL-SAYED: Mike Rogers will never, ever second-guess Donald Trump. And it is Donald Trump’s policies that are making our gas unaffordable, that are raising our prices on our groceries, that are making it harder for you to have a home, that are making it impossible for a lot of people to see a doctor. So, Mike Rogers will be a rubber stamp on that. 

WDIV: 

• WDIV: Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and former Wayne County Health Director Abdul El-Sayed have been hammering James and Rogers over their ties to President Trump and his policies, including tariffs.

• ABDUL EL-SAYED: In fact, there’s nothing that Donald Trump will call him and tell him to do that he won’t willingly do. There is not a command he won’t ‘roger.’

UpNorthLive: Democrats vie for support in Michigan ahead of midterms

• UPNORTHLIVE: In Detroit, the Democrats, including Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, slamming Vance and the candidates he’s supporting, as well as the party’s overall record. Take a listen, taking aim at the White House’s trade plan.

• ABDUL EL-SAYED: There’s a smart use of tariffs—this ain’t it. This is a vanity war. And I want to be clear: This vanity war is not a war with Canada; it’s a war on Michigan, because we have to pay the price.

• ABDUL EL-SAYED: Ask any Michigander, ‘Who do you like better, Canada or Ohio?’ I think all of us would tell you, ‘We’re good with Canada. It’s Ohio we’ve got problems with.’

• UPNORTHLIVE: El-Sayed went on to reference high gas prices and more.

WILX: Democrats make economy a campaign focus

• ABDUL EL-SAYED: Back in April of 2025, we launched a campaign because we just understood that it shouldn’t be this hard. It shouldn’t be this hard to afford a second bag of groceries. It shouldn’t be this hard to pay your rent. It shouldn’t be this hard to see a doctor in the richest, most powerful country in the world.

WZMQ: JD Vance stumps for James and Rogers as Michigan Democrats fire back on tariffs

• El Sayed held his own event with UAW Region 1 […] and State Senator Mallory McMorrow, opening with a direct shot at Vance himself.

• “As JD Vance, Ohio’s worst export, campaigns in our state today, Michiganders are hurting,” McMorrow said.

• El Sayed argued Rogers has gone along with a trade war that his campaign estimates is costing Michigan families nearly $6,000 a year.

• “This is a vanity war. And I wanna be clear, this vanity war is not a war with Canada. It’s a war on Michigan,” El Sayed said.

Gongwer: El-Sayed, Rogers sound off on each other at separate events, launch new attack ads

• Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed said during a press conference in Warren his campaign’s aim is to help lower costs and ensure that residents can afford basic necessities and healthcare.

• “Meanwhile, Mike Rogers was fielding the call, too. His call didn’t come from the people in the state of Michigan,” El-Sayed said. “It was a call from Donald Trump. … His reason for running was that Donald Trump called him and him to do it. In fact, there’s nothing that Donald Trump will call him and tell him to do that we won’t willingly do.”

• He proceeded to call his Republican opponent, former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, “corrupt” and “cowardly,” adding that Republicans do not want to talk about anything related to the cost of living and want to make the election about everything and anything else.

• El-Sayed bashed Rogers for downplaying the pinch Michigan residents are feeling in their pocketbooks while attacking him over his support for the Trump administration’s trade fight that is ramping up with Canada.

• “The choice could not be more clear: it is the chaos of the Trump administration, the cowardice of Mike Rogers, and the corruption of the entire MAGA party, or it’s a politics built on the notion that it should be people rather than corporations and special interests who dictate what our future looks like,” El-Sayed said.

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