Senate debate tonight: Mike Rogers still unanswered; Abdul El-Sayed confirmed
The Michigan Senate debate is happening in Detroit tonight, hosted by FOX 2 on "The Pulse."
Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed has committed and will be in studio, while Republican Mike Rogers and his campaign have not yet answered or confirmed participation. The debate is happening regardless with an open podium.
Here are the details about what to expect and how to watch:
Mike Rogers and Abdul El-Sayed Detroit debate
Abdul El-Sayed and Mike Rogers at respective campaign events on Aug. 31, 2026.
Big picture view:
Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed has committed to the event, while Republican Mike Rogers and his campaign have not yet answered or confirmed participation.
The backstory:
FOX 2, along with the Michigan Debate Committee, sent invites on Aug. 5, the day after the primary election in Michigan, to both candidates to attend tonight's debate. The El-Sayed campaign agreed to attend the debate the following day. The Rogers campaign initially acknowledged receipt of the invite, but has not responded to further correspondence.
FOX 2 will leave an open podium for Rogers, and the invitation still stands.
Similarly, FOX 2 left an open podium for Jocelyn Benson earlier this summer when she did not commit to the debate in the Democratic primary race for governor.
Meanwhile:
Rogers and El-Sayed have both agreed to a WOOD TV8 debate on the west side of the state, happening Oct. 8. A press release from Rogers’ campaign slated it as the "first debate" of the general election cycle.
Watch FOX 2 Senate debate
Big picture view:
The debate is tonight, Tuesday, Sept. 15, beginning at 7 p.m. It will be moderated by Roop Raj, host of "The Pulse" and moderator of previous debates hosted by FOX 2.
How to watch :
The debate will air and stream on FOX 2 from 7-8 p.m., with two hours of coverage and analysis available to stream after it ends.
You can watch:
- On your FOX Local app, on your TV or phone
- At FOX2Detroit.com
- On FOX 2 Detroit’s Facebook, YouTube and TikTok pages
- In the video player in this article
The FOX Local app is available for iPhone users here, and for Android users here.
What you can do:
FOX 2 will take your questions via text. You can text your questions to (248) 200-5042.
Members of an in-studio audience will also be asking questions.
El-Sayed vs. Rogers
Why you should care:
Michigan's open U.S. Senate seat is one of the most closely-watched races this election cycle as it will help determine which party controls the U.S. Senate.
Currently, Republicans have a 53-47 majority, meaning Democrats need to gain four seats to retake the majority. Most of the 2026 elections are happening in states that Republican President Donald Trump easily won last November, but approval ratings are slipping and voters dissatisfied with the economy have created a difficult environment for Republicans.
Big picture view:
Democrats originally saw status quo wins in Michigan, Georgia and New Hampshire, while picking up Republican-held seats in Alaska, Maine, North Carolina and Ohio, as their path to a majority victory.
But Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said last month that Democratic wins in unexpected Iowa and Texas could be another path to victory.
Local perspective:
Michigan’s open seat is being left vacant by Gary Peters, who is retiring.
No GOP candidate has won a Senate race in Michigan since 1994, and Republicans believe Rogers, who lost the 2024 Senate race to Elissa Slotkin by fewer than 20,000 votes, has an improved shot against El-Sayed. Democrats are struggling to unite after El-Sayed, the progressive candidate, narrowly defeated moderate U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens in the August primary.
What's next:
The election is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
The Source: Information in this article was taken from WJBK FOX 2, which reached out to the campaigns of both nominees. Background information was taken from previous FOX 2 reporting and The Associated Press.