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El-Sayed, Rogers trade personal and political punches in Michigan Senate debate

Rogers defended his positions and attacked El-Sayed during their first debate in the Michigan Senate race.

El-Sayed, Rogers trade personal and political punches in Michigan Senate debate
Image · The Washington Times

SOURCE CHECK

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Outlet credibilityThe Washington Times71/100 HIGH
This article1 analysis · Oct 9, 2026
tl;dr

Abdul El-Sayed and Mike Rogers used their first Michigan Senate debate to attack each other and argue over the Iran war, tariffs, costs and Israel. The race is for the seat of retiring Sen. Gary Peters and could affect control of the Senate.

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VOTING CLOSED
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Mike Rogers R · MI
NOT RATEDCLOSED

No good or bad look here

This story reports what happened without casting Rogers in a good or bad light, so readers don’t rate it and it doesn’t count toward Rogers’s record.

● INFORMATIONAL

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Republican candidate for Michigan's U.S. Senate seat

PRIMARY SUBJECT

Democratic candidate for Michigan's U.S. Senate seat

El-Sayed's version of this story ↗
Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President whose war and tariffs are discussed by the candidates

Gary C. Peters
D · MI · SEN

Retiring Michigan senator whose seat is being contested

Part of a bigger story

27 OUTLETS
Mike Rogers and Abdul El-Sayed Hold First Michigan Senate Debate

Outlets agree Mike Rogers and Abdul El-Sayed held their first debate in Michigan’s Senate race, trading personal attacks and clashing over policy issues. Left-leaning outlets focus on Rogers’s attacks on El-Sayed’s mother and related fact-checking. Center outlets portray a combative exchange over policy and personal claims, with some checking assertions from both candidates and others emphasizing the foreign-policy clash. Right-leaning outlets foreground Rogers’s challenges to El-Sayed over foreign ties and positions, with some coverage portraying Rogers as performing well.

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