Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers repeatedly sidestepped direct questions Sunday about whether he considers himself a MAGA Republican, even as host Kristen Welker pressed him on the label during an appearance on NBC's "Meet The Press."
When Welker asked, "Do you consider yourself to be a MAGA Republican?" Rogers pivoted, criticizing the national media before attempting to change the subject to the former chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party. Welker cut him off, insisting, "I'm asking you about you." But Rogers never gave a straight answer.
The evasion comes as no surprise to political observers. Rogers, who has Trump's endorsement for the Senate seat, declined to support Trump in both 2016 and 2020 before endorsing him in 2024. Now, with the race for control of the Senate potentially hinging on Michigan, the former congressman seems to be trying to balance the benefits of Trump's backing with the president's low approval ratings in the state.
The tension is visible in Rogers's campaign messaging. While Trump has promised to work with Rogers on his "America First" agenda, Rogers's own campaign has begun to distance itself from one of Trump's signature economic policies: tariffs. Rogers previously defended Trump's tariffs as recently as September, calling them "necessary." But Michigan's economy is deeply tied to Canada, and the trade fight has become a political liability.
The Trump administration itself has started to backtrack, announcing it will exempt some Canadian products from tariffs starting Oct. 30. The Wall Street Journal reported the move was intended to help vulnerable Republicans, including Sen. Susan Collins of Maine. Meanwhile, a CNBC analysis of AdImpact data shows Trump's mentions in Republican general-election ads have plummeted from 47.1 percent during the primaries to just 4.3 percent now.
The race remains extremely tight. Decision Desk HQ polling shows Democrat Abdul El-Sayed with a narrow lead over Rogers. Michigan's in-person early voting began Saturday, and Trump has escalated his involvement, attacking former President Barack Obama for campaigning with El-Sayed. In a Truth Social post early Sunday, Trump called Obama "grossly incompetent" and labeled El-Sayed "a Muslim Brotherhood Jihadist."
Obama responded forcefully, reminding voters that Trump often uses fear to sow division and "may even use your name, or your faith, to somehow suggest that you are dangerous and less than trustworthy and less patriotic and less American." He added, "We have seen this movie before. I starred in it. I've got a long form birth certificate to prove it. This stuff didn't work on me, not in Michigan. It's not going to work on Abdul."
Rogers wants Trump's endorsement without necessarily owning Trump's agenda. From now until Election Day, his strategy appears to be to deflect and make El-Sayed's name and religion the issue, rather than defending policy decisions that have hurt Michigan voters. As the race tightens, the question remains whether Rogers can successfully thread that needle.
