What to know:
Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers traded personal attacks during a heated debate in Michigan’s U.S. Senate race Thursday night.
The candidates clashed over the Iran war, rising gas prices, health care, and the national debt.
Both candidates supported temporarily suspending the federal gas tax but disagreed over the war’s economic impact and military effectiveness.
Rogers accused El-Sayed of misleading voters, calling his campaign “the best con I think I’ve ever seen.”
El-Sayed accused Rogers of changing his political positions to improve his standing in the polls.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — What began as a debate over Michigan families’ rising costs quickly turned into a heated political showdown Thursday night, as Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers traded personal attacks in their race for the U.S. Senate.
The two candidates clashed over the war in Iran, gas prices, health care and the national debt.
But some of the sharpest exchanges had little to do with policy, as each questioned the other’s credibility and political motivations.
At times, the exchanges became so contentious that the moderator struggled to maintain control.
Iran war sparks sharp disagreement
The debate opened with a question about rising gas prices, with both candidates expressing support for temporarily suspending the federal gas tax.
But the agreement was short-lived.
El-Sayed criticized the economic impact of the war in Iran, arguing that Americans are paying the price at the pump.
“I don’t know about you, but when I go to the gas tank, I don’t feel like I’m winning. I don’t feel like our country is winning,” El-Sayed said.
Rogers, who has supported the military campaign, defended its effectiveness, claiming U.S. military operations have significantly weakened Iran’s military capabilities.
“Militarily, they have set back the nuclear program at least 20 years. They’ve decimated their army, navy, their air force,” Rogers said.
‘The best con I’ve ever seen’
Some of the night’s most heated moments came when the candidates turned their attention to each other’s credibility.
Rogers accused El-Sayed of misleading Michigan voters.
“You’re going to find out that this guy is not what he says he is. He is actually selling the best con I think I’ve ever seen,” Rogers said.
El-Sayed fired back, accusing Rogers of changing political positions to improve his electoral prospects.
“The reason he’s flip-flopping has nothing to do with policy. Has nothing to do with your costs. Has everything to do with his sagging poll numbers,” El-Sayed said.
Health care becomes another flashpoint
The candidates also sparred over health care, with Rogers criticizing El-Sayed’s support for Medicare for All.
Rogers warned the proposal would increase taxes on Americans.
El-Sayed defended his health care approach, arguing it would make coverage more affordable for working families. He also maintained that families could keep private coverage.
The exchange underscored their competing approaches to the federal government’s role in health insurance.
Tax billionaires or cut government waste?
In the second half of the debate, the candidates offered different solutions to the nation’s growing debt.
El-Sayed called for higher taxes on billionaires, claiming the approach could generate trillions of dollars in federal revenue.
“Tax billionaire plus. It’s that simple. We could return 4.6 trillion dollars simply by taxing billionaires,” El-Sayed said.
Rogers argued that Washington should focus on eliminating waste and fraud across federal agencies, including the military.
“I think there’s fat and waste in every department, and I put the Department of Defense in there as well,” Rogers said.
Neither candidate’s claims about potential savings or revenue were independently verified during the debate.
Why this race matters beyond Michigan
The candidates are competing to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, leaving Michigan with an open U.S. Senate seat.
The outcome could have consequences far beyond the state.
Michigan is among the states that could help determine which party controls the Senate, potentially influencing the direction of federal spending, health care legislation, and foreign policy.
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