Senate candidates Abdul El-Sayed and Mike Rogers to debate Thursday
The major-party candidates running to represent Michigan in the U.S. Senate, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers, will face off in a debate on Thursday in Grand Rapids.
The debate will air at 7 p.m. on Thursday, will be an hour-long, and will be moderated by political reporter Rick Albin. This comes after Rogers skipped a debate that WJBK hosted on Sept. 15 for the two candidates, saying he never agreed to attend that event.
El-Sayed currently holds a narrow advantage over Rogers, with 45.6% of likely voters compared to 41.4% for Rogers, according to a statewide poll by Mitchell Research & Communications.
The other party-sponsored candidates, Lydia Christensen (Libertarian), Timothy Long (U.S. Taxpayers), Douglas P. Marsh (Green) and Walter P. Kristy (Natural Law), all trail the leaders with 3% or less of likely voters, while 6% of voters remain undecided.
El-Sayed is a former Michigan health official who has been vocal about healthcare issues on the campaign trail, speaking frequently about a "Medicare For All" plan, alongside a push to get money out of politics and a broader focus on affordability.
Rogers served in the Army and the FBI and says his plans include bringing manufacturing jobs to Michigan, lowering costs, protecting seniors' Social Security and Medicare and prioritizing education.
Gary Peters currently holds the open seat but announced in January 2025 that he would step down at the end of his current Senate term.
Rules for the U.S Senate debate
According to WOOD-TV, the following rules apply to Thursday night's debate:
- Candidates will have 60 seconds to respond to questions.
- Candidates will have 30 seconds for follow-ups.
- Candidates will have 30 seconds for rebuttals.
- Candidates will have 30 seconds for closing statements.
WOOD-TV says the debate order and the order of closing statements were chosen during a Zoom call beforehand, with representatives of both campaigns present.
