U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly) and former Rep. Mike Rogers traded shots Tuesday, Oct. 8 during an intense U.S. Senate debate in Grand Rapids in which the Republican accused his opponent of not being able to pass a lie detector test and Slotkin jabbed Rogers for having lived in Florida up until recently.
In the swiftly-moving exchange on WOOD-TV that was broadcast throughout the state, the two attempted to reframe their opponent’s stances on healthcare, immigration, reproductive rights and electric vehicles while defending their own position.
The first of two scheduled debates between the Republican and Democratic nominees lived up to its billing as a heavyweight showdown between two talented public officials who didn’t stumble. They both stayed strong, got in their punchlines and didn’t back down. It’s hard to call the exchange anything but one of the more exciting draws you’ll find in a 60-minute U.S. Senate debate.
Rogers denied Slotkin’s claims that he voted to privatize or cut Medicare and Social Security, saying “I’m not even sure she could pass the polygraph test in the CIA anymore,” referencing Slotkin’s time in the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
“I get it, the CIA has deception training. My opponent clearly went through that, but you’re supposed to use that against your adversaries, not Michigan voters,” Rogers said.
Slotkin responded by referencing his voting record, saying “I’m not sure he remembers. He’s been down in Florida for a few years.”
She also brought up Rogers’ time in Florida in response to his claim that “he wants to go back to Washington, DC and put our vote in Michigan at risk,” in a conversation about reproductive rights.
“I was here in Michigan, and I voted Yes on Proposition 3. You were in Florida. You voted in Florida. You weren’t here,” Slotkin said.
Slotkin said throughout Rogers’s 20 years in the legislature, he has voted for “every single ban, every restriction, every bill that came across his desk” regarding abortion restrictions and bans.
She said Rogers also voted for and sponsored bills that would restrict IVF and contraceptives.
“He does not trust us to protect our own rights. Do not trust him,” she said.
Rogers countered Slotkin’s claims by saying “deceit and deception, it’s just been the constant theme of this campaign.”
He said he has supported IVF since the beginning of the campaign and would “not do anything that would change the Michigan Constitution, voted on by the people of Michigan,” referencing Prop. 3.
On the topic of immigration, Rogers said Slotkin had a “conversion about border security” when she said the immigration system was “broken”. He said she has a history of consistently voting in line with the Biden-Harris administration on border security, which Slotkin denied. Rogers doubled down on the claim, saying “that is absolutely correct.”
“We spend something like $450 billion taking care of the illegals, room and board, and phones and health care,” Rogers said. “That’s enough money to pay for every Michigan teacher and every Michigan State Trooper for 15 years.”
He also said fentanyl “coming across the border” has killed almost 3,000 people from Michigan each year.
“This has been a catastrophe, and we have seen absolutely nothing but saying you signed a few letters,” he said.
Rogers accused Slotkin of signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement, or NDA, “to facilitate a Chinese Communist Party company” to build a factory for electric vehicles in Big Rapids.
Slotkin responded by saying “I have never signed an NDA with any Chinese government, Chinese entity, Chinese company at all. I found out about that plant when it was in the paper.”
Slotkin signed an NDA with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation regarding a Gotion Inc. battery plant.
“The old Mike Rogers from 2014 wouldn’t be messing around with that when it comes to public security, but the Mike Rogers of 2024 seems happy to do it. I’m sad about that,” she said. She also said his claims were “offensive.”
Slotkin also tried to appeal to Republicans who “feel like their party has left them.”
“Come and vote for someone who actually gives a crap about you, who cares about getting something done the way we used to Democrats and Republicans civilly and decently,” she said.
At one point, Rogers mentioned he was raised in a middle-class household while Slotkin was raised by a wealthy family. He closed with a story about a 15-year-old heroin addict that he helped rescue as a young FBI agent who told him that she didn’t kill herself because she knew somebody cared enough to find her.
The reference appeared to be that he, again, is in a position to help a country that is down and out and needs immediate attention from someone (him) who cares, but he wasn’t able to wrap up the analogy before time expired.
Article courtesy MIRS News for SBAM’s Lansing Watchdog newsletter
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