Political experts break down final debate between Rogers, El-Sayed ahead of election

Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed faced off in their second and final U.S. Senate debate Wednesday night, with less than two weeks to go until Election Day.

"The one difference between this debate and the first debate was that this one was a little bit more substantive; I think that people have some ideas," said Ronald Stevenson, director of forensics and debate at Wayne State University.

On tariffs, an issue with direct implications for Michigan's auto industry, the candidates drew a clear contrast.

"Maybe these Canadian tariffs were not well thought through, mainly because of the interaction between our automobile companies and Canada when it comes just in time manufacturing," said Rogers.

"Clearly, these tariffs have hurt American manufacturers. Clearly, they have hurt the American worker. Clearly, they have hurt our pocketbooks," said El-Sayed.

Immigration provided another dividing line.

"ICE enforcement has gone after rapists and murderers and gangbangers and drug dealers and human traffickers, and it has had a tremendous impact on crime," said Rogers.

"He supports ICE running through your streets. They don't have to tell you who they are. They don't have to tell you why they're there," said El-Sayed.

But, with less than two weeks until Election Day, the bigger question is whether any of it can still change a vote.

CBS News Detroit spoke with voters on Thursday to see if the debate had any impact on their choice. The people we spoke with told us it didn't, and said that they already knew who they were supporting.

"It has minimal impact. There's been a lot of research. It rarely causes vote switching, so the best case scenario is turnout," said Stevenson.

Both campaigns walked away from the debate claiming victory, and now the focus shifts to getting their supporters to the polls.

In a statement, Rogers' campaign said, "Mike Rogers won tonight's debate, just like he will win this election — decisively. Mike made one thing clear: He is for you. Abdul is for himself. Mike listens to Michiganders and shows up with real solutions to the issues they face."

In response, El-Sayed's campaign issued the following statement, saying, "Tonight, while Mike Rogers tried to make the debate about Abdul, Abdul zeroed in on Michiganders. We saw Dr. Abdul El-Sayed rise above those attacks and speak to the issues Michiganders care about — putting Michigan First, ending corruption, and bringing down the costs of gas, groceries, and healthcare."

Stevenson says that may be where a debate this late in the race matters most.

"This might be one of those debates that people find a reason why they think they need to participate and why they need to vote," said Stevenson.

With the debates now over, the candidates have less than two weeks to turn those arguments into votes.