Rogers says he ‘never agreed’ to El-Sayed debate: It would’ve been ‘2-on-1’
Rep. Mike Rogers said he never agreed to a planned televised debate with Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and argued participating would have been unfair, calling it "2-on-1." El-Sayed instead appeared on Fox 2 Detroit and spoke for about an hour beside an empty podium after Rogers announced he would not attend.
Why It Matters
The dispute highlights tensions around campaign debates in the Michigan Senate race and raises questions about candidate engagement and debate formats ahead of the election. It also produced a widely seen public moment in which one candidate addressed viewers alone on live television.
Key Facts
- Republican candidate: Rep. Mike Rogers
- Democratic candidate: Abdul El-Sayed
- Network: Fox 2 Detroit
- Event: Televised debate that did not occur as scheduled
- El-Sayed appearance: Spoke for about an hour next to an empty podium
Rep. Mike Rogers said he never agreed to take part in a televised debate with Michigan Senate opponent Abdul El-Sayed and maintained the forum would have been unfair. Rogers told CBS News Detroit reporter Heath Kalb that he had not consented to the event and characterized participation as effectively "2-on-1." He announced he would not attend the scheduled debate.
Hours after Rogers said he would not appear, El-Sayed went on Fox 2 Detroit and addressed viewers on air. The Democratic candidate spoke for approximately an hour alongside an empty podium where his opponent would have been seated.
The exchange drew attention because it left El-Sayed speaking alone in a setting planned for a live debate and crystallized the disagreement over whether Rogers had agreed to the format. Rogers reiterated his position to CBS News Detroit, while El-Sayed proceeded with the scheduled broadcast on Fox 2.
The incident adds a public moment to the Michigan Senate contest, illustrating both candidates' differing approaches to debate arrangements and media events in the run-up to the election.
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