Mike Rogers calls Senate opponent Abdul El-Sayed a "con man" at RNC midterm convention
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers called his Democratic opponent, Abdul El-Sayed, "a con man" when speaking on Thursday at the Republican National Committee Midterm Convention.
Rogers is making his second attempt to win a U.S. Senate seat. The contest for Michigan's open seat is one of the key races to watch nationally as both parties fight for control of the Senate.
Much of Rogers' criticism centered on El-Sayed's connections to Hasan Piker. El-Sayed has in recent weeks distanced himself from the popular left-wing streamer after Piker made remarks on Israel and Jewish Americans.
"Abdul El-Sayed may be comfortable with that crowd. I certainly am not," Rogers said. "He's a con man. I'm a law man."
"This is not just another Senate race. This election is about the soul of our country," Rogers said. He said the race is about "American values" — the ability to work hard, raise a family, worship freely and speak your mind — and about "who you stand with when that American way of life is threatened."
Rogers also emphasized his goals of secure borders and a strong military.
The Republican National Committee Midterm Convention in Dallas took place on Wednesday and Thursday, an event that President Trump promoted to rally the party ahead of the November election.
Party business at the convention also included selecting the first states that will vote in the Republican presidential primary races. Michigan's date for the Republican primary hasn't been announced.
El-Sayed responded to questions about Rogers' speech later that night from Detroit.
"You know what he didn't mention? Gas. You know what else he didn't mention? Groceries. You know what else he didn't mention? Healthcare. You know what else he didn't mention? The tariff war. You know what else he didn't mention? The war in Iran," El-Sayed said.
"But on the campaign trail in Michigan, where I'm from, I've heard nothing but questions about those issues. So clearly, Mike Rogers doesn't want to talk about the policies that he has to answer for with Daddy Trump."
