In a surprising turn of events, Democratic Representative Elissa Slotkin, a candidate in the highly anticipated 2024 U.
S. Senate race in Michigan, has shifted her stance towards one of her Republican rivals, whom she had previously lauded and declared she would "never" compete against.
Slotkin, in a fundraising email circulated on Wednesday, hours after former Republican Representative Mike Rogers announced his campaign, stated, "Its important Michiganders understand exactly who Mike Rogers is: He was on the Trump national security transition team, and was in talks to be Trumps FBI Director, but then got fired. Then he became a critic of Trump."
She continued, "Regardless of his record on Trump, he's a true conservative. He supports an extreme nationwide abortion ban with no exceptions for rape, incest, or common miscarriage; he voted to cut Social Security and Medicare; and, with an A rating from the NRA, he voted to *expand* access to guns. He represented a version of my current congressional district, 4 years before I flipped it but with a different set of values."
This statement is a stark departure from her previous commendation of Rogers, which included expressing pride in his representation of her district. Slotkin, a former CIA officer, had briefed Rogers during his tenure as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, a position he held until his retirement in 2015.
In a 2018 interview with the Lansing City Pulse during her initial congressional campaign, Slotkin reminisced, "I remember being kind of proud that he was the congressman from back home, and Michigan, and had a very strong national security background."
She further stated, "I tell people very openly that I would never be running in this race if Mike Rogers were the congressman because he had offices all over the district. He was engaging people. He had a strong presence on Capitol Hill that was bringing things back to the district. And that, to me, is the core thing. I dont have to agree with everything he believed in to know that he was working hard for the district."
In July 2018, Slotkin praised Rogers as being "different" from his Republican successor, then-Representative Mike Bishop, and applauded his maintenance of an office in what she termed the "populist" part of Michigan's 8th Congressional District.
Slotkin triumphed over Bishop in the 2018 race and represented Rogers' former district until the state's congressional map was redrawn following the 2020 census. She has since represented the 7th Congressional District.
When asked for a comment, Rogers' campaign expressed gratitude for Slotkin's previous support. Chris Gustafson, campaign communications director, said, "Mike Rogers is working hard to earn the support of every Michigander. Were happy to hear the congresswoman agrees that Mike is the most qualified candidate for the U.S. Senate."
The 2024 Senate race in Michigan is predicted to be one of the most closely monitored of the election cycle and could be a deciding factor in determining which party will ultimately control the Senate.
Login