Mike Rogers, former House Intel Chairman, enters Michigan Senate race.

Former Rep. Mike Rogers Announces Senate Run in Michigan

Former Rep. Mike Rogers has⁢ made⁤ an ‍exciting announcement – he is running for Senate in Michigan! This makes him⁣ the first high-profile Republican ⁤to vie for ‌the seat of retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI).

The GOP field has been relatively ⁤open⁤ since Stabenow’s⁣ announcement eight months ago, ‍leaving Republicans wondering if they could recruit a top-tier candidate to challenge the ‌Democratic favorite, Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), for‌ the nomination.

Rogers’ Change of Heart

Rogers, who previously served in the House for seven terms, initially dismissed the idea of running ⁤for Senate. Instead, he fueled months of speculation about a ​potential White House bid. However, he has⁤ now officially changed his mind ⁤and‌ released ​an announcement video on Wednesday.

In the⁣ video, Rogers positions himself as a‌ ready-on-day-one conservative who is determined to challenge the Biden agenda in Washington. “We can ⁤do better. That’s why I’m running for the United ‌States Senate, to get government out of the way, unleash ⁤American innovation, and take common sense‍ back to Washington,” he boldly declares.

A ⁤Traditional Republican⁤ in⁤ a Post-Trump World

Rogers, who​ chaired⁢ the House Intelligence Committee for four years, is returning ​to politics as a‍ traditional Republican​ navigating a post-Trump world. Although he retired from the House in 2015, just before Donald⁢ Trump ⁣announced his presidential run, Rogers only briefly alluded to Trump in his announcement video.

Instead, ⁣he focused on pressing political ‍issues such ​as ‌the ⁣border, President Biden’s⁣ handling of the economy, and what he perceives ⁣as an increase in “social engineering” in schools. “I thought I ⁤put politics behind me, ⁢but⁢ like you, I know something’s broken. America under Biden and​ his cronies ​is going ‍in the wrong direction,” Rogers passionately states.

A Challenging Race Ahead

Despite​ his familiarity‍ with ​the state of Michigan, Rogers enters the race‍ at a disadvantage. No Republican has won ⁣a⁢ Senate seat in ⁣Michigan since 1994. However, national Republicans see this as a potential pickup⁢ opportunity, especially after John James came within 2 points of unseating Sen.‍ Gary Peters ‍(D-MI) in 2020.

The‍ National Republican Senatorial Committee ‍has encouraged Rogers to run, although he may‍ face competition. Former Republican ‌Rep. Peter Meijer, who voted to ⁣impeach Trump for his role in the ‌Jan. 6 Capitol riot, recently announced the⁤ formation of an ⁤exploratory committee‌ for a possible run.

On the Democratic‌ side, ⁣Rep. Slotkin faces ‌a primary⁣ challenge but has establishment backing and a substantial campaign fund. Despite‍ these challenges, Rogers is ‍expected to ⁣leverage his background as ⁢an Army veteran and former FBI special agent investigating organized crime during his campaign.

Exciting times lie ‍ahead in the race for the ​Michigan Senate seat!

Click here to read more ‌from The Washington Examiner.

Other Candidates in the Primary

In addition to Rogers and Slotkin, a few lesser-known Republicans have entered the primary race, including‍ Nikki Snyder,⁣ a member​ of the​ Michigan ‍State Board of‌ Education.

It will be interesting to see how the campaign⁣ unfolds ‌and which candidate ultimately ‍secures the ⁢nomination.