DI has documented statements by Mike Rogers on 2026 Midterm Elections, Antisemitism, and Campaign Finance, among other topics. Read the quotations, original sources and related cases below.
Role at the time: Former U.S. representative from Michigan and Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Michigan
Mixed or conditional
Statement summary
Rogers said he would have voted for the sanctions bill and would not give Putin an inch, but said Trump deserves credit if the strategy lowers diesel prices.
“I don’t think we can give Putin an inch. And we will see. If the strategy works, hey, good on him, because that means we’re going to pay less for diesel here in the United States”
Open source (opens in a new tab)GOP Senate candidate Mike Rogers breaks with Trump over Russia sanctionsParagraphs quoting Rogers on CNN's State of the Union
Why we used this label
The reference point is Trump's waiver of the Graham Act Russia measures. Rogers disagrees with easing pressure on Putin but says Trump deserves credit if the approach lowers diesel prices.
Reference point: El-Sayed's refusal to rank Israel and Iran as threats and his comparison of the dangers they pose. Condemned: Rogers faults El-Sayed for not naming the greater threat and calls the answer disqualifying. Challenged the characterization loses because Rogers rejects the answer itself rather than only disputing how it describes Israel.
Role at the time: Republican U.S. Senate nominee in Michigan, posting from his campaign account on X
Condemned
Response to this claim
Abdul El-Sayed's family has long been part of the Muslim Brotherhood.
“This morning, Abdul El-Sayed was asked about his family’s ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. And he denied it — an outright lie.
The truth is, Abdul and his family have surrounded themselves with some of the most heinous organizations and anti-American actors in history.”
Relative to the allegations of El-Sayed's terrorist and Muslim Brotherhood ties, Rogers rejects El-Sayed's denial and restates the allegation against him and his family, consistent with his other statements here.
Role at the time: Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Michigan and former U.S. Representative, speaking to reporters, as reported by The Hill
Condemned
Statement summary
Former Rep. Mike Rogers, asked whether he agreed with the president's decision, said he did not agree with importing diesel from Russia and that he had called for a temporary export ban.
“No, not in importing it from Russia. I’ve actually called for a temporary export ban just to try to give some relief while farmers are out harvesting”
Open source (opens in a new tab)GOP lawmakers reject U.S.-Russia diesel deal, Trump's Zelensky commentsParagraphs quoting Sen. John Kennedy and former Rep. Mike Rogers, and the paragraphs on Fitzpatrick's bill.
Why we used this label
The case asks whether the U.S. should ease sanctions on Russian diesel to lower fuel prices, as the administration did on October 9. Asked whether he agreed with the president's decision, Rogers answers "No, not in importing it from Russia" and points to his own proposal for a temporary export ban. That opposes the Russian supply, so we labeled it Condemned. The closest competing label is Mixed or conditional; it loses because he offers an alternative rather than support with conditions.
Role at the time: Republican U.S. Senate candidate from Michigan and former U.S. representative
Challenged the characterization
Response to this claim
The federal government should set privacy guardrails for Flock cameras.
“I think the states can do it.”
Open source (opens in a new tab)MPRN reports Rogers's state-level Flock guardrails answerFlock Cameras section, Rogers's answer about states and tracking people who have committed no crimes
Why we used this label
The fixed proposal is federal Flock privacy guardrails. Rogers answers by saying states can act, challenging the need for a federal solution. He does not reject privacy restrictions or expressly condemn federal legislation.
Role at the time: Republican U.S. Senate nominee in Michigan, at the first televised debate
Condemned
Response to this claim
The organization El-Sayed's mother worked for was indicted for funneling money to al-Qaeda.
“I'm not going after your mom. What your mom was working at, I was going after that organization that was indicted for funneling money to al-Qaeda. Look, that's your mom.”
Watch the original video (opens in a new tab)WOOD TV8 video of the October 8 Michigan U.S. Senate debate16:02-16:16 Rogers on El-Sayed's donors; 40:44-41:46 watch-list remark, exchange about El-Sayed's mother and El-Sayed's rebuttal
Why we used this label
Relative to the allegations that El-Sayed has ties to terrorist funding, Rogers extends the attack to the organization his mother worked for and contrasts it with his own mother's job. He criticizes El-Sayed through the association, consistent with his other statements here. The label does not assess his description of the organization.
Role at the time: Republican U.S. Senate nominee in Michigan, at the first televised debate
Condemned
Response to this claim
Abdul El-Sayed is funding his campaign with money from terrorist groups like the Muslim Brotherhood.
“He has taken money from groups associated and support the Muslim Brotherhood. He has taken money from individuals on his campaign who openly support Hamas, Hezbollah, al-Qaeda.”
Watch the original video (opens in a new tab)NewsNation video of the October 8 Michigan U.S. Senate debate15:46-16:04, Rogers on El-Sayed's donors during the prescription drug exchange
Why we used this label
Relative to the case's question of whether El-Sayed's campaign took money from terrorist-linked sources, Rogers asserts the allegation again and uses it against El-Sayed, as in his earlier statements here. The label records his stance, not whether the allegation is true.
The White House says waiving the Graham Act's Russia measures preserves room for peace negotiations. Lawmakers from both parties and Volodymyr Zelenskyy say relief weakens pressure on Russia. Thomas Massie welcomes Trump's use of the authority Congress granted.
Trump said Russia would supply millions of tons of diesel after a call with Putin, and Treasury authorized Russian diesel imports until April 2027. Zelenskyy and lawmakers in both parties objected.
Abdul El-Sayed supports federal privacy guardrails for Flock cameras. Mike Rogers says states can act and opposes tracking people who have committed no crimes. The dispute concerns who should set the rules.
Abdul El-Sayed declined to rank Israel and Iran as threats during Michigan's Senate debate, describing different dangers from each. Pete Buttigieg answered that Iran is an enemy and Israel an ally, while saying he would still vote for El-Sayed.
Rogers says prices are too high and the tariff fight with Canada should end. El-Sayed says Rogers backed the tariffs from the beginning. Trump reads the ad as a call for Canada to make a deal.
Abdul El-Sayed says families could retain private insurance under his Medicare for All proposal. Mike Rogers describes it as a government takeover. The campaign allows additional private coverage but expects universal public insurance to make it unnecessary.
Hasan Piker told Axios the US has caused more terrorism than al-Qaeda "pound for pound." The full episode added more contested claims -- on Iran's nuclear programme, Mao Zedong, China and Zionism -- and drew condemnation from both parties.
Mike Rogers accused Abdul El-Sayed of funding his Senate campaign with terrorist-group money. The case examines the allegation, FEC records documenting outside-support transfers, related public responses, and whether any record establishes a direct payment from a designated organization.
Networked automated license-plate cameras can assemble searchable records of vehicle movements. Candidates and officials disagree over whether to ban the systems, keep them with limits, or defend them as investigative tools. This tracker separates outright bans from narrower restrictions.
Read twelve distinct appeals by Mike Rogers and his campaign for Abdul El-Sayed to disavow Hasan Piker, documented as of September 21, 2026. The timeline counts dated requests and excludes repeated coverage.
Mike Rogers attributed a belief about 9/11 to Abdul El-Sayed based on his association with Hasan Piker. El-Sayed rejected that belief and challenged the premise that campaigning together establishes agreement.
After the Temple Israel attack, Abdul El-Sayed condemned antisemitism but linked the assailant’s actions to an Israeli airstrike that killed relatives, describing violence as a cycle. Critics said it rationalized the attack or shifted responsibility; El-Sayed denied justification and later apologized for adding context.
