1A 'If You Can Keep It': The View Of The Midterms From Michigan
Oct 19, 2026
Taylor Popplar, a national political reporter at Spectrum News; Emily Lawler, Crain’s Detroit Business policy editor; and Stephen Henderson, Detroit journalist and BridgeDetroit founder, examine Michigan’s pivotal Senate race. They explore affordability, identity, Detroit turnout, youth voters, rural coalitions, redistricting, campaign misinformation, and the stakes for congressional power and the courts.
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Trump’s Midwest Strategy Runs Through Michigan
- National Republicans are watching Michigan closely but limiting Trump’s exposure because prices, Iran, and his priorities make him politically toxic.
- Their cultural attacks on El-Sayed contrast with Mike Rogers’s effort to appear more moderate.
Why Rogers Opened An Office In Detroit
- Mike Rogers opened a Detroit office despite having few Republican voters there, targeting Abdul El-Sayed’s primary weakness.
- Stephen Henderson said the goal may be depressing Democratic turnout by amplifying tensions among Detroit’s communities.
Michigan Gas Prices Turn Into A Political Liability
- Gas prices near $4.50 have forced Michigan workers to calculate higher weekly commuting costs and revive mopeds.
- Voters connect the affordability squeeze to Trump and the war, making economic pain central to the Senate race.
