by Mary Lou Masters
Former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers of Michigan announced Wednesday he was running for outgoing Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s seat.
Rogers joins several other Republican hopefuls in their attempts to flip the seat red, and could face Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin in the general election, as she is the current frontrunner in her party’s crowded primary. The former congressman touted his time in the military, as well as his experience as a special agent for the FBI and as the chairman of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, in his announcement video, while slamming the Biden administration for enabling an open southern border, “a broken system of justice,” inflation and “social engineering” in schools.
“I left politics to help build cybersecurity companies that can stop foreign threats like China. I thought I put politics behind me, but like you, I know something’s broken. America under Biden and his cronies is going in the wrong direction,” Rogers (pictured above) said in the video. “We can do better, that’s why I’m running for United States Senate — to get government out of the way, unleash American innovation and take common sense back to Washington.”
Rogers previously served as a state senator before securing his House seat in 2000, according to Ballotpedia. The former congressman held his House seat until 2014 when he chose not to seek reelection.
“Mike Rogers has devoted his life to serving the people of Michigan and holding communist China accountable. Mike is the type of candidate who can perform well with suburban Michiganders and be a strong part of the eventual ticket in Michigan. I am pleased to see Mike stepping up to run for the U.S. Senate,” Steve Daines, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the Senate GOP’s campaign arm, said in a statement provided to the Daily Caller News Foundation.
An early August Emerson College survey indicates Rogers is the current frontrunner for the GOP nomination among a crowded field with 12% support, followed by former GOP Rep. Peter Meijer with 9%, who is considering a bid. Meijer launched an exploratory committee for the seat last week, which will allow him to raise funds ahead of an official run.
Slotkin has 34% support among the crowded Democratic field, and would beat several Republican challengers, including Rogers and Meijer by 7 points and 6 points, respectively, according to the Emerson College poll. Six Democrats are vying for their party’s nomination to keep the seat blue, as Stabenow was first elected to the Senate in 2000, according to Ballotpedia.
“America is amazing, full of promise, freedom to make your own way, and do your own good. I’m Mike Rogers. Michigan’s way of life is worth defending,” Rogers said in the video.
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Mary Lou Masters is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation.
Photo “Mike Rogers” by Mike Rogers.
