2026 Senatorial Candidates - State of Michigan:

Описание: Candidates Abdul El-Sayed and Mike Rogers will each take the stage individually to answer a series of questions and explain why they are seeking to represent Michigan in the U.S. Senate. Each candidate will have individual time on stage to answer questions and present their case for a U.S. Senate seat representing Michigan. This discussion is moderated by Jason Colthorp, Anchor/Reporter and Flashpoint Host at WDIV-TV Local 4 and is designed to help voters hear directly from the candidates in their own words.

Access to trustworthy information is essential during an election year. Voters across Michigan face important decisions that will influence public policy, representation and the future direction of the state and nation. Meaningful civic engagement begins with opportunities to hear directly from candidates and better understand their perspectives on the issues that matter most.

Conversations like these help create a more informed public, encourage civic participation and strengthen community understanding of issues affecting Michigan residents. Access to factual information and diverse viewpoints empowers citizens to make informed decisions at the ballot box.

Abdul El-Sayed, a physician-turned-public servant, is running for U.S. Senate in Michigan. He believes that broken politics is what makes people sick and that life in the state has become too hard and too expensive. He rebuilt Detroit's Health Department after the city's bankruptcy and restructured Wayne County's health and human services department, achieving results like free glasses for kids, lead removal in Detroit elementary schools, universal Narcan access, and a program to cancel up to $700 million in medical debt for 300,000 residents. As a nationally recognized healthcare expert, he wrote "Medicare for All: A Citizen's Guide" and served on President Biden's 2020 Unity Task Force for Healthcare. Raised in Southeast Michigan by an Egyptian immigrant father and a stepmother from a longtime Gratiot County family, he attended public schools, graduated from the University of Michigan, earned his medical degree at Columbia, and completed a second doctorate at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. He promises to fight for a government that works for ordinary people rather than billionaires.

Mike Rogers grew up in Livingston County, Michigan, the son of a teacher-coach-vice principal and a chamber of commerce leader, and after graduating from Adrian College he served as an Army lieutenant and then as an FBI Special Agent fighting organized crime and public corruption in Chicago. As the Michigan Senate in 1994, he believed that public service means serving others, which led him to write the law creating Michigan's 529 College Savings Program, worked to cut regulations on small businesses, and helped law enforcement target child predators. Elected to Congress in 2000, he worked to eliminate federal taxes on education savings plans, pass legislation expanding healthcare for low-income families, and author the Respect for Fallen Heroes Act, while pushing for energy independence through the House Energy and Commerce Committee. As Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, he was among the first to warn of China's economic and national security threat and fought Chinese theft of American intellectual property, especially in Michigan's auto industry. In 2015, he built a business supporting small businesses and American innovation, with a focus on helping companies defend their data through cyber security.

Detroit PBS has a longstanding commitment to election coverage and civic engagement, providing audiences with opportunities to hear from candidates, elected leaders and subject matter experts. Through public forums and election-focused programming, Detroit PBS continues its mission of connecting communities with the information they need to participate fully in civic life.

Through trusted journalism, community dialogue and public affairs programming inform and engage audiences. By providing a forum for civil discussion and informed debate, Detroit PBS supports the public’s ability to participate thoughtfully in the democratic process.

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