Former Rep. Mike Rogers, a Republican who is running for Michigan’s open Senate seat, has endorsed former President Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential bid.
Mr. Rogers, who left Congress in 2015 after serving seven two-year terms in the House, announced his endorsement in an op-ed published by the Daily Caller on Jan. 9, saying that he has “no doubt President Trump will be able to deliver for the American people on day one.”
“President Trump’s leadership and policies worked,” he wrote. “The economy was booming with record-low unemployment and gas under $2.00 a gallon. The southern border was secure, and our communities were safe. Our military was the strongest it had ever been, our allies knew we had their back, and China and Russia were being held in check.”
He criticized President Joe Biden for turning America “into chaos,” criticizing the current president for his “wide-open” border policies and the flood of drugs like fentanyl into American communities. “We’re all on the hook for it, too, paying $451 billion to deal with this border crisis, enough to pay for every single Michigan teacher and state trooper for 15 years,” he added.
The former congressman said the United States “is at a dangerous crossroads” at the moment, and America “needs to return to strong leadership.”
“The first step to getting America back on track starts with putting an end to Bidenomics and returning to the leadership and proven policies of President Trump. In Trump’s America, small businesses were thriving, entrepreneurship flourished, family checkbooks were balanced, 401(k)s were growing, and the economy was stronger than ever as American ingenuity took hold,” he wrote.
Mr. Rogers said it has only been a few years since Trump’s America.
China
Mr. Rogers, an Army veteran and former FBI agent, announced his Senate bid in September last year. He is seeking to fill the seat vacated by retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.).Sens. Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) have endorsed Mr. Roger’s Senate bid.
“Mike’s unwavering commitment to securing President Biden’s open border and his track record of holding China accountable demonstrates his dedication to ensuring the safety of hardworking Americans,” Ms. Britt said in her endorsement. “I believe Mike’s victory is crucial for our nation, and his wealth of experience will ensure he’s effective on day one as we work to preserve the American Dream for generations to come.”
The former congressman has been outspoken about threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), including Chinese entities’ purchase of Michigan farmland.
In April 2022, Mr. Rogers took to X to acknowledge FBI Director Christopher Wray’s warning about China’s cyber threat.
“The @FBI opens a new #China-related counterintelligence case every 12 hours & has over 2K cases open right now. Director Wray is absolutely right,” he wrote. “[T]he hacking & espionage threat from the #CCP is ‘unprecedented in history.’ We better start acting like it.”
In another X post on Jan. 9, Mr. Rogers said a U.S. Navy sailor, who was recently sentenced to 27 months in prison, should receive a heavier sentence. The sailor was found guilty of transmitting sensitive U.S. military information to a Chinese intelligence officer in exchange for bribes.
“This sentence is not nearly enough for someone willing to sell out their country and put Americans [sic] service members at risk. We must be more aggressive in countering China’s growing espionage efforts,” he wrote.
The Republican primary for Senate in Michigan is scheduled to be held in August. At least two other Republican candidates—former Detroit police chief James Craig and businessman Sandy Pensler—have also endorsed President Trump.
Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) and Leslie Love, a former state legislator, are among several Democrats seeking the party’s nomination to run for Michigan’s Senate seat.
