Republican candidate Mike Rogers is standing by his choice to miss a Sept. 15 televised town hall with Democratic challenger Abdul El-Sayed in the Michigan U.S. Senate race, asserting that no commitment was ever made to participate.
In a one-on-one interview with CBS News Detroit, Rogers clarified the nature of the event, stating, “Well, first of all, it’s not a debate. It’s a town hall. We never agreed to it.” While El-Sayed appeared at the FOX 2 Detroit event on Tuesday, Rogers’ campaign maintained that they never consented to the appearance, despite the station claiming it extended invitations to both candidates on Aug. 5.
The contest for the Senate seat left vacant by retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters is considered one of the most critical matchups nationally. The UVA Center for Politics has rated the race a toss-up, noting its significance for control of the upper chamber.
Rogers’ team issued a statement alleging that the broadcast station showed favoritism and that the moderator had already chosen a side. Rogers echoed these sentiments during his interview, arguing that a moderator who has “already picked their candidate” cannot facilitate a fair two-on-one studio setting.
Following the event, El-Sayed suggested that Rogers was sidestepping scrutiny regarding his political record and his alignment with President Trump. “If I were him, I wouldn’t debate me either,” El-Sayed remarked. He further claimed Rogers wished to avoid questions about tariffs with Canada and the financial costs of war, pointing out the contradiction of Rogers making time for a Republican convention speech in Dallas while declining the Detroit appearance.
Rogers denied any broken promises, reiterating that the event was not on his schedule. He also criticized the station’s decision to leave an empty podium open for him, describing the move as “highly unprofessional.”
Looking ahead, Rogers confirmed that voters will have the opportunity to see both candidates face each other in formal debates scheduled for Oct. 8 and Oct. 21, dates both sides have accepted. El-Sayed had previously called for a more extensive debate schedule, challenging Rogers to five debates on Aug. 5, the same day CBS News projected his victory in the Democratic primary.
Meanwhile, El-Sayed is scheduled to meet with Democratic senators at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.
https://prod.vodvideo.cbsnews.com/cbsnews/vr/hls/4824439_hls/master.m3u8
I think Rogers is right to be wary of a single-network setup. A fair moderator matters more than the venue.
So he skipped it entirely? That looks more like avoiding tough questions than a procedural error to me.