On Aug. 4, voters will cast their ballots for candidates in the U.S. primary election, including selecting their choice for Michigan's U.S. senator. Here are the candidates vying for a spot in the November election.
Abdul El-Sayed (D)
Abdul El-Sayed is running as a Democrat to represent Michigan in the U.S. Senate. According to his campaign website, El-Sayed did not step into his professional career expecting to be a politician — he first studied to be a doctor. During his time working as a healthcare provider, he saw disparities within the system and has since pivoted in his career to focus on the political aspect of healthcare in efforts to promote equality.
He rebuilt Detroit’s Health Department after the city went bankrupt in 2013 and restructured Wayne County’s Department of Health, Human and Veterans Services. Additionally, El-Sayed co-authored "Medicare for All: A Citizens Guide" alongside physician and health care researcher Micah Johnson.
El-Sayed’s website says, “Abdul is running for U.S. Senate because life in Michigan shouldn’t be this hard — or this expensive. After a successful career of making government work for Michiganders, he wants to take his vision to Washington and make the United States Senate work for you.”
Campaign Issues:
El-Sayed’s campaign prioritizes on three key points with subcategories in each section. The three areas of focus are: money out of politics, money in your pocket and Medicare for all.
The money out of politics sector of the campaign aims toward banning corporate money in politics, ending partisan gerrymandering and reforming the supreme court by imposing term limits and allowing the same number of appointments for each presidential term. Money out of politics also means abolishing the filibuster and making voting easier by automatically registering people to vote when they turn 18, making election days holidays and allowing no-reason absentee and in-person early voting. The campaign states the importance of protecting the civil rights and liberties of all Americans, abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, protecting natural resources and a foreign policy that spends less money on the Department of War and investing it elsewhere.
The money in your pocket sector of the campaign focuses on bringing more jobs to Michigan, taxing billionaire wealth and regulating the use of Artificial Intelligence as means of keeping and providing more jobs, and supporting comprehensive federal zoning guidelines on data centers. El-Sayed intends to build more housing and implement regulations to address homelessness. His campaign says he will work to redirect federal farm subsidies away from corporate agribusiness and toward family farmers.
The Medicare for all sector of the campaign promises to expand resources to veterans, break up big healthcare, reduce the price of prescription drugs, rebuild public health and ensure autonomy in areas like reproductive health and gender-affirming care.
Mike Rogers (R)
Mike Rogers is a former United States Representative, representing Michigan’s 8th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. Rogers is running unopposed as a Republican to represent Michigan in the United States Senate. Prior to his career in politics, Rogers served as a lieutenant in the United States Army and later worked as a Special Agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Chicago.
His career in politics began in 1994 when he ran for Michigan State Senate and won. While serving as a state senator, Rogers wrote the legislation that created Michigan’s 529 College Savings Program and authored the Respect for Fallen Heroes Act. Furthermore, during his time in the House of Representatives, he served as the Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.
Rogers says on his website, “I’ll stand with President Trump to deliver on the mandate given to him by the American people. For too long Michigan has been represented by two-faced politicians, who say they’re “moderates” but vote as radicals when they get to Washington.”
Campaign Issues:
Rogers’ campaign focuses on one key issue with four subcategories: unlocking homeownership for families and rebuilding the American dream.
Rogers aims to expand 529 plans to cover college education, vocational training, first-time down payments on homes and help to cover the first year of property taxes. The plan will allow families to open a 529 Plan and contribute at any time for any reason, in addition to eliminating transfer fees and ensuring the funds do not count against PMI eligibility.
Rogers' vision includes lowering interest rates by allowing families to build credit for timely payments and allowing individuals to defer student loan payments while saving for a home down payment with dollar-for-dollar contribution. Rogers wants to encourage new home building by creating residential housing zones where new construction is completely tax-free, replacing empty lot zoning with residential housing zones and use those policies as a way to create new jobs.
Haley Stevens (D)
Haley Stevens currently represents Michigan in its 11th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. Stevens is running as a Democrat in the U.S. Senate race as her current term in the House of Representatives is ending. Previously, she served as Chief of Staff on President Obama’s auto rescue. In that position, she visited auto manufacturing companies and brought together autoworkers, union leadership and corporations to help stabilize the auto industry. Notably, during her time in Congress, Stevens helped write the CHIPS and Science Act that was signed into law in 2022.
Stevens’ website states, “When elected, she will fight to lower costs, protect the benefits that Michiganders paid into and earned over a lifetime of work, and defend our personal freedoms.”
Campaign Issues:
Steven’s campaign highlights seven main issues: equitable federal investment, economic empowerment access, safer communities, health and family stability, education, innovation, STEM workforce future, water and infrastructure, and lowering housing costs.
Stevens wants to ensure federal resources and infrastructure are used to strengthen public services, transport and economic opportunity. She aims to increase capital and training for underserved communities and improve industrial policy in order to create jobs and lower costs.
Stevens hopes to strengthen commonsense gun safety laws, protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, and invest in lead pipe replacement to prioritize clean, safe drinking water.
Stevens promises to invest in STEM and job-training pipelines, and adapt policies that strengthen the supply chain in addition to increasing housing supply to low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities.
Mallory McMorrow has suspended her campaign but will still appear on the ballot.
