Starting today, Team Rogers, the campaign organization working to elect Michigan Republican Mike Rogers to the Senate, announced a six-figure ad buy focusing on reviving manufacturing in the Wolverine State.
Mike Rogers understands manufacturing. The son of a shop teacher, he worked on an assembly line. That gives Rogers a deep understanding of how important these jobs are to Michigan and the next generation.
The 30-second ad emphasizes the need to prepare future generations for manufacturing jobs — jobs that artificial intelligence (AI) can't eliminate and China wouldn't steal. For years, Michigan had a thriving manufacturing sector, until Democrats drove 30,000 auto jobs out of the state, and threatened to kill tens of thousands more jobs with their radical electric vehicle mandates. Meanwhile, China poses a threat, trying to flood the Michigan market with Chinese cars that would further jeopardize auto jobs in the state.
"As a shop teacher's son, I learned how to get my hands dirty and earn my paycheck," Rogers says in the ad. "Then, something happened in America. Politicians started looking down on the trades. College debt soared. And now, we have six-figure jobs that companies like Ford can't fill. Let's put shop class back in every high school and train our kids for real jobs — jobs AI can't eliminate. Jobs China can't steal."
This ad buy comes as the Michigan Senate race is number one in the country, and a leading pick-up opportunity for Republicans. The Senate GOP is optimistic they can flip the seat, according to Axios.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee sees Michigan as a "starting point" for expanding Senate Majority Leader John Thune's majority next year, top officials told donors on a Tuesday call.
Why it matters: Democrats are dealing with a primary meltdown in Maine. Meanwhile, Republicans are gaining confidence that they can flip the seat being vacated by Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.).
- Without a clear GOP challenger yet to take on vulnerable Sen. Jon Ossoff in Georgia, Michigan is quickly becoming Senate Republicans' best offensive shot in 2026.
- "Anyone still perpetuating the lie that Mike Rogers can't win in 2026 because he didn't win in 2024 isn't in touch with the realities of the data," NRSC political director Brendan Jaspers told hundreds of donors.
Donors seem optimistic of Rogers' chances, and Rogers has amassed the largest campaign war chest of any candidate in the race, and launched a historic ground operation with a statewide leadership team of more than 100 campaign co-chairs, an "early and first-of-its kind" team that reflects the widespread support Rogers has throughout Michigan.
Rogers also continues to lead his Democratic opponents in the polls, including a six-point lead over Abdul El-Sayed and a three-point lead over Mallory McMorrow and has the "complete and total" endorsement of President Trump, who won Michigan in 2024 and who has made bringing back American manufacturing a priority of his second term.
Rogers’ campaign is clearly betting that manufacturing will once again become the defining issue in Michigan politics. With concerns over outsourcing, EV mandates, China, and the future of blue-collar work dominating economic discussions, Republicans believe the path to flipping the Senate seat runs directly through the working-class voters who once made Michigan the center of American industry.
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
Help Townhall continue to report on the Democrats’ radicalism and inform voters as our nation faces a crossroads. Join Townhall VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member