(WXYZ) — With one week until the November General Election, I'm sitting down with both candidates running for Michigan's open U.S. Senate seats, profiling each of their campaigns.
Republican Mike Rogers and Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin are facing off to replace retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow.
Watch below: My interviews with Mike Rogers and Rep. Elissa Slotkin
In a one-on-one interview, I asked what voters can expect as part of Rogers' platform.
“Four generations of Rogers served in the military. I served in the army as an officer. My dad was a tech sergeant in the Air Force in the Korean War," Rogers told me.
I spoke to him inside a busy diner in Howell.
“One thing we have to do is undo what the Biden-Harris agenda has done to us," he said.
Rogers laid out his vision for serving the people of Michigan. A former factory worker and FBI agent, Rogers told me he's focused on tackling inflation and improving our economy. He also wants to solve the problem by addressing energy.
“Cost of groceries and gasoline. Energy bill at the end of the month," he said. "Energy independence. That keeps money in our country and brings down gas prices, which brings down food prices.
“Middle-class tax cuts. Right on top of it," he added.
I asked Rogers where he also stands on electric vehicle development.
“How do you view EVs and how to grow our auto industry here in Michigan?” I asked.
“There’s 5,000 auto dealers who wrote a letter to the president saying EV mandates are killing our business," Rogers said. “We’ve got to stop the mandate. If you want to buy an EV, buy an EV but there’s interim steps just as good for the environment like hybrids.
“Markets work. Mandates don’t. If you want an EV buy one or 10. Don’t care, but if you need a gasoline car for your family, you should be able to buy one," he said.
“The U.S. has spent a lot of money to support Israel and Ukraine, should we continue to spend the money?” I asked.
“In Ukraine, it should be a lend and lease program where they pay us back for everything we are giving them," he said. “People are just dying in place along that border, that’s not a solution. It’s not good for the U.S. in the long run or Ukraine in the long run.
“On Israel, we need to get to the root of this problem which is Iran. We have to re-contain Iran," he added.
“Do you support a national ban on abortion?" I asked.
"I don’t. The people of Michigan in 2022 went to the ballot box and made abortion legal. They enshrined it in the constitution. I’m not going to do anything that contradicts what’s in the Michigan Constitution.”
On the border, Rogers expressed the crucial need to establish a better system. He said that should include a mechanism to stop the flood of illegal immigrants pouring in.
“In terms of immigration, you and your opponent agree there’s a problem but see it differently. What would you do?" I asked.
“Remain in Mexico. You’ve got to secure the border and finish the wall. Not just physical but also electronic. Whatever that wall looks like," he said.
Closer to home, Rogers feels more must be done to keep kids safe.
“MSU, Oxford, Rochester Hills. How do we stop mass shootings and is it limited to mental health or does it involve guns?” I asked.
“We have plenty of gun laws. We just have to enforce them," he said. “Mental health is clearly the root problem. If you look at all cases, they’ve even had mostly engagement with law enforcement or with mental health professionals. We need to get a better handle on that.”
Rogers tells me he has confidence in this election, provided that rules are enforced.
“You’re going to have anomalies in every election, it happens in every state," he said. “We’re doing poll watchers. Recruiting people for ballot integrity. All of those things are going to be really important.”
Lastly, Rogers addressed questions critics have raised about his residency.
"You’ve faced questions about your permanent residence. What do you say about that?” I asked.
“My residence is where I’ve paid property taxes for a few years. We’ve decided to rebuild our house. For some reason, people have decided that’s important to them.”
As a husband and father, Rogers said he's proud to have already served for years in Congress. He said wants to now serve in the Senate because he believes there's more work to be done.
