Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers met Wednesday night in Detroit for their second and final Michigan Senate debate. It came less than two weeks before Election Day on November 3 1. The two are competing for the seat of retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters 1.
The debate was calmer than their first meeting earlier this month, but it still had sharp moments 13. Polls show a neck-and-neck race 1. The Hill reported that several polls give El-Sayed a narrow lead, and that Decision Desk HQ, a forecasting group, gives him a 67 percent chance of winning 2.
El-Sayed ties Rogers to Trump
El-Sayed, a former Detroit-area health official, tried to link Rogers to President Donald Trump throughout the night 13. He blamed rising gas and grocery prices on the war with Iran 1. He called for a vote in Congress to limit the president's war powers 1.
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 also said Rogers could not win without the president's help. Trump is due to visit Michigan this Sunday 2. Rogers told reporters afterward that he would attend, though he did not yet know the final details 3.
Rogers distances himself on Iran and tariffs
Rogers, a former Republican congressman, has tried to put some distance between himself and Trump in recent weeks. He has called for the Iran war to wind down 1. Last week, when NBC News asked whether Trump made a mistake launching the war, he answered that he did not think so 1.
On tariffs, which are taxes on imported goods, Rogers said some had brought positive developments for Michigan. He also said the Canadian tariffs may not have been carefully planned 1.
maybe these Canadian tariffs were not well thought through.
El-Sayed questioned whether a Republican senator would really stand up to the president. He said the record of Republican senators doing so is not encouraging 1.
Muslim Brotherhood allegations
Rogers again tried to tie El-Sayed to the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist group founded in Egypt. His campaign has pointed to donations from people it links to the group 12. El-Sayed has repeatedly denied any ties and says he has never been part of the organization 12.
El-Sayed called the line of attack "beneath you" and said it questioned his loyalty to the Constitution 12. In the first debate, Rogers questioned the work of El-Sayed's mother at a charity that was later closed. NBC News reported that she was never accused of wrongdoing 1.
What happens next
Rogers used his closing remarks to court Democrats who backed Rep. Haley Stevens in the primary, telling them they have a home with his campaign 2. El-Sayed beat Stevens by just one point in August 2. Rogers has also launched a group called Democrats for Mike Rogers 2.
The candidates also discussed health care, Social Security, immigration and crime 1. Rogers attacked El-Sayed's support for Medicare for All, a government-run health plan covering everyone. El-Sayed said it would cost less than what people pay now 3.
That matters for older voters because Social Security, Medicare and prices were all on the table in a state where the Senate majority could be decided 13. Voters now have about 12 days to decide.
The Record
Sources
- NBC News, “Abdul El-Sayed and Mike Rogers' final debate clash sets up final sprint in Michigan” (2026-10-22). nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/abdul-el-sayed-mike-roger
- The Hill, “El-Sayed, Rogers clash in final Michigan Senate face off: 3 takeaways” (2026-10-22). thehill.com/homenews/campaign/6164307-michigan-senate-debate
- CBS News, “Abdul El-Sayed and Mike Rogers clash in final Michigan Senate debate” (2026-10-22). cbsnews.com/news/final-michigan-senate-debate-abdul-el-sayed
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