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Mike Rogers, Donald Trump U.S. President Donald Trump invites Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers to speak during an event at the General Motors Proving Ground Monday, July 27, 2026, in Milford, Mich. (AP Photo\/Paul Sancya) <\/p>\nMichigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers has broken away from U.S. President Donald Trump over his trade war with Canada. <\/p>\n
WASHINGTON \u2014 Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers has broken with U.S. President Donald Trump over his trade war with Canada as the Republican faces a tight race in a state hit hard by the tariffs.<\/p>\n
In a campaign ad posted on social media Wednesday, Rogers said people in Michigan \u201cknow that Canada is not our enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to end this tariff war now,\u201d Rogers said in the ad, which shows the Republican sitting at a bar and holding a Labatt\u2019s beer.<\/p>\n
While Rogers doesn\u2019t mention Trump\u2019s name in the ad, it marks a shift in messaging for the former congressman, who previously said tariffs are necessary but not a one-size-fits-all solution.<\/p>\n
But the president\u2019s trade war with Canada has become a ballot issue in the close race between Rogers and Democrat candidate Abdul El-Sayed.<\/p>\n
Trump rapidly escalated his trade war and rhetoric against Canada after negotiations fell apart in August.<\/p>\n
Trump signed an order to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America and the United States hit an array of Canadian goods with 50 per cent tariffs. A few weeks later, Ottawa responded with its own retaliatory duties.<\/p>\n
Last week, a U.S. import ban on some Canadian liquor, whey products and motorcycles officially took effect.<\/p>\n
El-Sayed has been making Canada an election issue in the border state, which is being hit hard by Trump\u2019s tariff regime. Michigan\u2019s economy is deeply integrated with many Canadian communities, particularly in the automobile industry.<\/p>\n
In response to Rogers\u2019 Wednesday ad, El-Sayed said the Republican has supported Trump\u2019s tariffs from the beginning.<\/p>\n
In a news release, El-Sayed said Trump is the reason for the trade war and the reason Rogers is running. He said his opponent is \u201cnot a serious person.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMust have had one too many of those Labatts, Mike,\u201d El-Sayed said, adding Rogers supported the tariff war \u201cfrom the beginning\u201d and is \u201cflip-flopping now\u201d because his poll numbers \u201care in freefall.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mike Rogers, Donald Trump U.S. President Donald Trump invites Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers to speak during an event at the General Motors Proving Ground Monday, July 27, 2026, in Milford, Mich. (AP Photo\/Paul Sancya) <\/p>\n
More Republicans have been distancing their campaigns from the president as multiple polls show Trump\u2019s approval rating is dropping over the war with Iran, higher gas prices, inflation and controversial immigration tactics.<\/p>\n
Matthew Lebo, a political-science professor at Western University in London, Ont., said polls are showing a general shift towards Democrats compared to the 2024 election, and that has put many Senate races in play ahead of the midterm elections next month.<\/p>\n
Democrats would need to achieve a net gain of four seats to get the Senate majority. The Michigan race in particular could prove critical.<\/p>\n
\u201cMichigan is as close to a 50-50 state as there is, having voted since 2008 for Obama, Obama, Trump, Biden and Trump,\u201d Lebo said in a text message.<\/p>\n
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Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers speaks at the Republican convention Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo\/Jacquelyn Martin) Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers speaks at the Republican convention Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo\/Jacquelyn Martin) <\/p>\n
Rogers is not an incumbent, Lebo added, so it\u2019s harder to link him with all of Trump\u2019s more contentious moves as president.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe can try to paint himself as an independent-minded Republican who will break with Trump when it\u2019s the right thing for Michiganders,\u201d Lebo said. \u201cThat\u2019s a good strategy to get Republicans to the polls even if they are unhappy with Trump.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trump praised Rogers during a highly unusual Republican convention in Texas last month. The Michigan Senate candidate also spoke during the event, billed as \u201cTrump-a-Palooza\u201d — he repeatedly criticized his opponent but did not address the trade war with Canada.<\/p>\n
When asked about the ad at the White House later Wednesday, Trump said he saw it as Rogers saying Canada should make a deal.<\/p>\n
\u201cI viewed him as saying he thinks Canada should make a deal,\u201d Trump said, before repeating his claims about Canada ripping off the United States.<\/p>\n
Trump added Canada wants to make a deal but his administration is not satisfied.<\/p>\n
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 7, 2026.<\/p>\n
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