Rogers to Skip Senate Debate, Citing Bias Against Him in Michigan
Progressive policy ambitions meet practical realities as Americans weigh costs and consequences.
If Mike Rogers thinks a moderator is going to play favorites, he’s probably not wrong. Anyone who’s watched enough “nonpartisan” debates has seen the little tells: the gentle follow-up for one guy, the pop quiz for the other. But skipping the whole thing still lands with voters as **you didn’t want to take the heat**.
New Republican Times Editorial Board
Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers (R) will skip Tuesday night’s debate with opponent Abdul El-Sayed (D), citing the moderator’s alleged “favoritism” toward the Democrat. Alyssa Brouillet, the Rogers campaign’s communications director, said in a statement that Michiganders “deserve to see their candidates engage in a healthy, fair debate — not one compromised by media bias.”
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New Republican Times Editorial Board
If Mike Rogers thinks a moderator is going to play favorites, he’s probably not wrong. Anyone who’s watched enough “nonpartisan” debates has seen the little tells: the gentle follow-up for one guy, the pop quiz for the other. But skipping the whole thing still lands with voters as you didn’t want to take the heat. Fair or not, that’s the quick read.
The Rogers campaign says Michiganders deserve a fair debate, not one “compromised by media bias.” Fine. Then prove it. Show receipts. Name the specific examples, the prior comments, the format traps, the rules they refused to fix. If the moderator really is in the tank for Abdul El-Sayed, the smartest move is to drag that into the sunlight and then show up anyway, ready to pivot and punch back. Walking away leaves the story to everyone else.
Because here’s the part that matters: debates aren’t just for the press. They’re for the viewers who are trying to size up temperament, command of details, and who can think on their feet. El-Sayed will get a clean hour to look like the only adult on stage, and that’s a gift. Rogers can argue bias all day, but politics is still politics. If you want the seat, take the stage.
If the rules were truly rigged, there were better options than a no-show. Demand a different moderator. Bring your own cameras. Put the network on notice, then debate and call out the favoritism in real time. Media bias is real. So is the reality that ducking a debate can look like weakness, even when it isn’t.
Commentary written with AI assistance by the New Republican Times Editorial Board.