Michigan Senate Republican nominee Mike Rogers broke with President Trump Wednesday over the trade war with Canada, the latest step to distance himself from the administration's economic agenda in the tight battle against progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed.
"Here in Michigan, we know that Canada is not our enemy," Rogers said in a new ad, which was released the day before the candidates' first debate. "We need to end this tariff war. Now."
Trump imposed a 50% tariff on roughly $20 billion worth of Canadian goods this summer, which Rogers defended as necessary for Michigan manufacturing. In recent months, Rogers called for a quick end to the war in Iran and a one-year statewide moratorium on new data-center construction, both of which he had previously defended.
In the ad, Rogers, a former congressman who narrowly lost a run for Senate in 2024, pledged to work across the aisle to lower costs for Michigan families and said his opponent supports tax hikes that would do the opposite -- a reference to his backing of Medicare for All.
El-Sayed has tied Rogers to the tariffs on the campaign trail, calling them "Trump and Mike Rogers's tariffs." During an August CNN interview he said Rogers was "caught between knowing full well that these tariffs are bad for Michiganders" and staying in line with Trump.
The link has proved a vulnerability in the border state where roughly 36% of all Michigan exports go to Canada. A spokeswoman for Rogers said, "Mike's once again doing what he always does -- the right thing for Michigan."
In a post on X, El-Sayed said Rogers cheered the tariff war "from the beginning and you're flip-flopping now because your poll numbers are in free fall."
Rogers has stopped short of criticizing the president directly as the candidate walks the line between keeping the GOP base and confronting high costs driving voter discontent with the party.
A September poll found 41% of state voters said their family finances had gotten worse over the past year, and 42% said their vote for Congress would be a vote against Trump.
Earlier this week, El-Sayed dared Trump to come to Michigan and stump for Rogers.
"Clearly, your candidate can't speak for himself. He doesn't have anything to say. Clearly, you are the answer," El-Sayed said in an interview with MSNow. Trump told reporters that day he planned to visit the state.
Rogers openly criticized Trump before successfully seeking his endorsement during his first Senate run in 2024. In 2021, Rogers wrote Trump was "more gangster than presidential," and in 2022, he said Trump's "time has passed." Rogers endorsed Trump for president in his 2024 run.
Michigan narrowly backed Trump in the most recent election, after voting for Biden in 2020. Public polling for the Senate race has been consistently close. A recent poll by YouGov showed El-Sayed leading Rogers by one point.
Democrats need to hold the seat, left open by Democratic Sen. Gary Peters's retirement, to have a good shot at winning back the Senate. The contest is also a top target for Republicans looking to defend their 53-47 majority, and both parties are pouring tens of millions of dollars into the race.