Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers will not attend a debate held by a local television station Tuesday over suspicions that the event’s moderator has “bias and favoritism” toward his Democratic opponent, Abdul El-Sayed, Rogers’ campaign said in a news release.
The campaign listed several allegations that Roop Raj, an anchor at Fox 2 Detroit with experience interviewing high-profile political candidates, has conducted himself “in a manner that is inconsistent with the level of gravity required to moderate a debate for the number one U.S. Senate race in the country.”
El-Sayed has challenged Rogers to debate him five times prior to the November midterm elections. Rogers, whose race is considered a “toss up” by the Cook Political Report, has so far agreed to two debates scheduled for Oct. 8 and Oct. 21 on separate networks.
The Fox 2 Detroit debate will proceed Tuesday featuring El-Sayed and a podium left open for Rogers, the station said, adding that the “invitation still stands.”
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Rogers’ campaign criticized Raj on several fronts, including his handling of a Republican gubernatorial primary debate where three political insiders asked questions, the fact that he has been praised by leftist internet personality Hasan Piker and for remarks he made on Aug. 24 where he called Rogers a “veteran politician” and El-Sayed an “outsider who is pretty brilliant in many ways, whether you like him or not.”
“Michiganders deserve to see their candidates engage in a healthy, fair debate — not one compromised by media bias,” Rogers campaign spokesperson Alyssa Brouillet said in a statement.
Raj did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Rogers’ accusations.
Raj and the Michigan Debate Commission have in recent weeks directly petitioned Rogers to attend a debate with El-Sayed on Fox 2 Detroit. Raj wrote in a social post on X that candidates for office “need to show up for debates,” adding, “Curating social media ads and then appearing on network cable channels of their political leaning for easy interviews does nothing for the electorate back here in Michigan.”
Raj also addressed the criticism levied toward him on Monday, saying he and Rogers have had a “very good, fair and productive conversation on many occasions.”
“I respect his experience and leadership,” Raj wrote on X. “I hope he is able to make time for this debate. I’ll do my job with integrity and responsibility as I always strive to do. I certainly hope you will do the same when messaging here.”
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