Key takeaways:
- The Michigan Senate race to replace retiring Democrat Gary Peters is close and could affect control of the chamber.
- El-Sayed blamed the Iran war for higher prices; Rogers said an unchecked Iran could drive gas prices higher.
- El-Sayed denied Rogers’ allegations of ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, calling them shameful.
Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers traded sharp attacks over President Donald Trump, the war with Iran and allegations about El-Sayed’s family in their final Michigan Senate debate Wednesday, less than two weeks before Election Day.
The Detroit debate was calmer than their first encounter earlier this month, but the contest for retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters’ open seat remains close. Its outcome could help determine control of the Senate.
El-Sayed, a former health official, repeatedly cast Rogers, a former congressman, as a reliable vote for Trump. He called Rogers a “sock puppet” for the president and blamed the Iran war for rising gas and grocery prices.
“We need a War Powers Resolution, rather than a senator who is going to stand hip-to-hip with Donald Trump on this war that made no sense when it started and certainly makes no sense now,” El-Sayed said when asked how he would bring costs down.
Rogers has called for the war to end, but said allowing Iran to control the Strait of Hormuz or build a nuclear weapon could push gas prices higher. Asked whether Iran threatens U.S. national security, El-Sayed said “there’s no doubt that Iran has posed a threat,” but argued an Obama-era nuclear deal had contained it. Rogers called Iran “absolutely” a threat.
Rogers accused El-Sayed of a “pattern of deception” over his positions and background. He also tried to link him to the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist organization, and suggested he shared supporters with groups such as Hamas. El-Sayed has denied any connection to the Muslim Brotherhood.
“He keeps raising this question about this association with an organization I’ve never been a part of, because of my mom, who’s a nurse in Missouri?” El-Sayed said. “It doesn’t make any sense, and it’s actually really quite beneath you, Mike.” He called the allegations “shameful.” Rogers said El-Sayed was trying to portray himself as a victim and told reporters afterward that he questioned whether El-Sayed could obtain a security clearance if elected.
NBC News reported that Rogers had previously questioned El-Sayed’s mother over her work at a charity that the U.S. government later identified as a supporter of terrorist groups. She was never accused of wrongdoing.
The candidates also sparred over El-Sayed’s support for Medicare for All. Rogers said the plan would require substantial tax increases. El-Sayed countered that corporations backing Rogers were taking money from voters’ pockets. Asked by CBS News afterward about the plan’s cost, El-Sayed said it would cost less than current healthcare spending.
On tariffs, Rogers described Trump’s approach as a “mixed bag,” citing manufacturing gains while questioning tariffs on Canada. El-Sayed criticized Trump’s tariffs but said he was open to some import duties.
NBC News reported that the candidates offered different approaches to artificial intelligence: El-Sayed called for a pause in frontier research and limits on AI decisions involving jobs, weapons and health insurance, while Rogers supported allowing leading AI companies to coordinate on safety and raised the possibility of a shutdown mechanism for dangerous programs.
El-Sayed urged viewers to play “MAGA bingo” as Rogers answered questions. Rogers replied: “The bingo game ought to be: ‘How many times can he put Trump in any answer?’”
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