Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers is breaking with President Donald Trump over one of his chief economic priorities.
“Drinking a Labatt and watching the Red Wings, man, it just doesn’t get any more Michigan than that. And here in Michigan, we know that Canada is not our enemy. We need to end this tariff war now,” Rogers said in a campaign ad released on Tuesday.
It’s the clearest sign yet that Trump’s trade fight poses a challenge to some Midwest Republicans as Rogers runs against Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who is seeking to become the country’s first Muslim senator.
“As Michigan senator, I’ll bring both parties together to lower your prices. That’s job number one. And Abdul, he wants to hit Michigan families with a $3,000 tax increase, the biggest in history. I’m Mike Rogers, and I approve this message because I’ll actually put dollars back in your pocket,” the Republican said from inside a bar.
The ad will play statewide as part of a seven-figure coordinated buy between Rogers’ campaign and the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
The new messaging marks a notable shift in tone for Rogers, who in August said Trump was right to impose tariffs on Michigan’s northern neighbor.
“Once again, Michiganders are forced to bear the consequences of failed leadership from our Democratic officials in Washington. For 25 years, Michigan’s two U.S. senators have prioritized their political clout and party prominence over the interests of the people who elected them,” Rogers said in an August campaign press release. “President Trump is right to put America First — and tariffs are necessary, but are not a one-size-fits-all solution.”
El-Sayed hit back at the Rogers ad, saying the Republican candidate is “not a serious person” and joking that he “had one too many of those LaBatts.”
“You cheerled this tariff war from the beginning, and you’re flip-flopping now because your poll numbers are in free fall,” he said on X. “Donald is the reason we’re in a trade war. And he’s the reason you’re running.”
The economic squeeze is putting added focus on Rogers’ new message. A new Daily Wire analysis by Liz Mair found that the cost of a weekly grocery basket at Aldi in Macomb County jumped from $85.36 at the end of March to $97.25 at the end of September — a 13.9% increase, the largest increase among the seven counties examined. Mair pointed to tariffs as one factor driving higher food prices, including a sharp increase in canned goods prices after tariffs began hitting Canadian imports and materials used to make tin cans.
Gas prices are another pressure point for Michigan consumers. The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in Michigan is roughly $4.40, just above the national average, according to AAA.
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