In Michigan, Democratic Senate candidate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed faced off against former Republican Congressman Mike Rogers in their first debate Thursday evening. Dr. El-Sayed criticized Rogers’s support for foreign wars.
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed: “I’ve got a guy to my left over here who thinks that the best use of our money is to go fight wars abroad. What has that given us? It’s part of the reason why while he was in Congress, $12 trillion, the national debt blew up, because he’s never seen a war he didn’t want us fighting. So, I don’t consider an ally a country that takes us to wars we don’t need to fight, and I don’t want to be fighting wars we don’t need to fight.”
During the debate, Mike Rogers defended the tens of millions of dollars spent by AIPAC and other pro-Israel groups in support of his campaign. He also defended his staunch support for Israel.
Mike Rogers: “I support, just staunchly, their right to exist, the right to exist for the Jewish state, and the right to defend itself in a very difficult neighborhood.”
Rick Albin: “Got 10 seconds. Is there anything Israel could do that would lose your support?”
Mike Rogers: “Listen, if they’re talking about using nuclear weapons, I would — they would definitely lose my support.”
Rick Albin: “All right. Thank you very much.”
Mike Rogers: “I’ve never heard them say that, though.”