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Former Representative Mike Rogers, a Republican, announced Monday he is running in the 2026 Senate race in Michigan, a critical battleground Republicans hope to flip in the midterms.
Newsweek reached out to Rogers' campaign via its online press form on Monday.
Why It Matters
The Senate race in Michigan where Democratic Senator Gary Peters is retiring will likely be among the most competitive races in next year's midterm election. The state is roughly evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans and narrowly broke for President Donald Trump in 2024, but Democrats are hopeful a 2018-esque "blue wave" will help them hold the seat.
The outcome of the race could help determine which party holds a Senate majority come January 2027 as Democrats aim to take back Congress and hold a key check on Trump's executive authority as he faces criticism on issues like tariffs and the firing of federal workers.
What To Know
Rogers, who lost to Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin in the 2024 election, touted himself as a candidate who would be a "strong" ally to Trump if elected to the Senate in his announcement Monday morning.
"As your next Senator, I won't just represent Michigan. I'll fight for it," he said. "I'll stand with President Trump, and we will deliver on the mandate given to him by the American people."
What Polls Show
Polling on the race, which is still a year-and-a-half out, remains limited, but some early surveys may indicate how Michigan voters are feeling about different candidates.
A Fabrizio, Lee & Associates poll pointed to a close primary race between Rogers and Tudor Dixon, the former GOP gubernatorial nominee who has said she is eyeing a 2026 run but has not confirmed any plans. Politico was first to report the poll.
The poll, which surveyed 600 likely Republican primary voters from February 17 to 19, showed Dixon leading with 40 percent support compared to Rogers' 36 percent. Still, 24 percent remained undecided, and how they split would be crucial to the outcome of the hypothetical primary.
The poll's margin of error was plus or minus 4 percentage points.
A poll, conducted by Target Insyght for MIRS News, surveyed voters about the general election. It polled 600 voters from March 3 to 6.
It found that 23 percent of voters view Rogers favorably, compared to 46 percent who view him unfavorably. Meanwhile, 31 percent of respondents said they did not have an opinion of Rogers.
It laid out three hypothetical matchups involving Rogers.
He held a 6-point lead against Democratic Representative Haley Stevens, who has been floated as a potential candidate (41 to 35 percent).
It also asked about matchups against Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, both of whom have said they aren't running. Whitmer led Rogers by one point (42 to 41 percent), while Buttigieg led by two points (46 to 44 percent).
In 2024, Trump narrowly carried Michigan by 1.4 percentage points, roughly 80,000 votes. At the same time, however, Rogers lost by 0.3 points to Slotkin in the second-closest Senate race of the year.
On the Democratic side, so far state Senator Mallory McMorrow has announced a run. Other potential candidates include Attorney General Dana Nessel, former gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed and former Michigan House Speaker Joe Tate.
The Cook Political Report classifies the race as a pure toss-up.
What People Are Saying
Representative Haley Stevens, a Michigan Democrat, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday: "Mike Rogers sold out Michigan to get rich and will do nothing to stand up to Donald Trump and Elon Musk's chaos. Michigan rejected him once and we will do so again next year."
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, said in a statement: "Mike Rogers is the conservative leader that Michigan needs in the U.S. Senate. As an Army veteran and former special agent, Mike understands the importance of putting service before self. We need him in the U.S. Senate to help achieve President Trump's America First agenda and to bring manufacturing and good-paying jobs back to Michigan."
What Happens Next?
Michigan voters will head to the polls next year to pick their next senator. Over the next year or so, other candidates are expected to also jump into the race and their cases to voters.
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About the writer
Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. ... Read more