Former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) will be the GOP nominee in the race for the seat being vacated by the retirement of Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D), setting up a showdown for what Republicans hope will be a recovery opportunity in November, according to Decision Desk headquarters.
Rogers defeated former Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) and physician Sherry O’Donnell after consolidating most of the establishment support behind his primary candidacy. The National Republican Senatorial Committee, the Senate GOP’s campaign arm, recruited Rogers to run for the seat to try to succeed Stabenow, who was first elected to the seat in 2000 and announced last year that she would not seek another term.
Rogers has the support of former President Trump, top Republican Senators Joni Ernst (Iowa) and Tim Scott (SC), among others, and Michigan Republican officials such as Representatives Jack Bergman, John Moolenaar, Tim Walberg and Lisa McClain.
The field for the Republican primary was considerably larger early on and included former Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.), former Detroit Police Chief James Craig and businessman Sandy Pensler. But all three dropped out of the race and Rogers emerged as the clear favorite for the nomination. Craig and Pensler supported Rogers.
Rogers previously represented Michigan’s 8th Congressional District in the House from 2001 to 2015 and served as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee for four years. While serving as chairman of the committee, Rogers oversaw an investigation into the 2012 attack on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya.
Amash, who initially left the Republican Party and became the first libertarian member of Congress at least in part because of his opposition to Trump, represented Michigan’s 3rd Congressional District for 10 years, from 2011 to 2021, serving alongside Rogers for four years.
Rogers will likely face Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) in the November general election.
The nonpartisan election pollster Cook Political Report classifies the race as a “scramble.” Slotkin leads Rogers in the Decision Desk HQ/The Hill polling average by about 6 points.
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