On Thursday, President Donald Trump endorsed Mike Rogers, the Republican Party’s preferred candidate, as he seeks to replace retiring Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI).
Trump previously talked Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI) out of challenging Rogers ahead of the 2026 primary, with his active involvement in the wide-open Michigan Senate race coming as the GOP hopes to flip the seat in a bid to expand its narrow 53-47 majority in the upper chamber.
“The wide America First Patriot Mike Rogers is running for U.S. Senate in the Great State of Michigan, a State I love and WON BIG!” Trump wrote in a post to Truth Social. “Mike Rogers has my Complete and Total Endorsement — HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!”
As Democrats also line up to succeed Peters, Trump touted Rogers as the GOP candidate who would focus on enacting his “America First” agenda. Much is riding on Rogers, a former longtime congressman and FBI agent from Livingston County, as Republicans have not won a Senate election in Michigan since 1994.
“As your next Senator, Mike will work tirelessly to Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE by keeping the price of Gasoline, Oil, and all forms of Energy VERY LOW (CHEAP!), Help Secure our now VERY Secure (Record Setting!) Southern Border, Support our Incredible Military/Veterans, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment,” Trump wrote.
Rogers narrowly lost a Senate race in the state during the 2024 election when Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) captured a razor-thin victory in the battleground state, which Trump managed to flip in the presidential election.
Rogers thanked Trump for his endorsement this week, saying he “knows that we have what it takes to win this seat and deliver real results for hard-working families.”
Trump’s backing came after party leaders signaled Rogers was their best chance of flipping the seat, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Tim Scott (R-SC) offering their endorsements in the race.
On the other side, Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI), state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, former Wayne County Health Director Abdul El-Sayed, and former state House Speaker Joe Tate are among the many Democrats competing for their party’s nomination.
GOP’S MIKE ROGERS LAGS BEHIND CHALLENGERS IN BID TO FLIP MICHIGAN SENATE SEAT
While Trump advised Huizenga, Rogers’s would-be primary challenger, to stay out of the race, the president on Thursday evening urged the congressman to run for reelection.
“As a very successful Small Businessman, and Vice Chair of the House Financial Services Committee, Bill knows the America First Policies required to Grow our Economy,” Trump said. “Bill is doing a truly FANTASTIC job representing Southwest Michigan, and I hope he runs for Re-Election to Michigan’s 4th Congressional District — He will have my Complete and Total Endorsement, and he will never let us down!”