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Michigan Senate race

The 2026 race for Michigan's Senate seat, through both parties' primaries and the general election.

Mike Rogers' fundraising email says he saw Bin Laden's body with 'own eyes'

Illustration accompanying article: Mike Rogers' fundraising email says he saw Bin Laden's body with 'own eyes'
  • Mike Rogers, the Republican nominee for Michigan's open U.S. Senate seat, wrote in a fundraising email that he "saw the dead body of Osama bin Laden with my own eyes."
  • Rogers was not in Pakistan during the May 2011 raid and was not in the White House Situation Room; he was at home in Washington and was informed by CIA Director Leon Panetta.
  • Days after the raid, Rogers acknowledged he had seen a photograph of Bin Laden's body and said he supported Obama's decision not to release the images publicly.
  • Rogers has invoked his national security credentials against Democratic opponent Abdul El-Sayed, including a claim that El-Sayed believed America deserved 9/11 that a New York Times fact-check found was false.
 2026-08-29 · 5 MIN READ

El-Sayed says he spoke with Obama, hopes he campaigns in Michigan

Illustration accompanying article: El-Sayed says he spoke with Obama, hopes he campaigns in Michigan
  • Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Michigan, said Sunday he spoke with former President Barack Obama on Friday and hopes Obama campaigns with him ahead of November's midterm elections.
  • El-Sayed called the conversation "really warm and inspiring" and told NBC's "Meet the Press" that Obama "knows the critical role that Michigan is going to play."
  • Asked about Obama campaigning in Michigan, El-Sayed said he "really" hopes so, noting Obama carried the state in the 2008 and 2012 presidential races.
  • The outreach comes as Democrats try to unite after a bitter primary that exposed rifts between the party's progressive and moderate wings.
 2026-08-09 · 3 MIN READ
Illustration accompanying article: Abdul El-Sayed wins Michigan primary, will face Mike Rogers