MT. PLEASANT, Mich. — Hello from the center of the political universe. Both presidential candidates are rallying in Michigan today. But first, let’s delve into the Michigan Senate race.
As Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) crisscrossed the state on Thursday to campaign for Senate, the Democratic hopeful did something pretty unusual in modern politics: ignore her opponent.
Slotkin is locked in a tight race against former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) that could determine the balance of power in the Senate. It’s already attracted more than $90 million in ad spending.
But in speeches to students at Central Michigan University and canvassers in Midland, Mich., Slotkin eschewed negative attacks against Rogers for a positive biographical message about her service record.
Slotkin isn’t your typical Democrat. Slotkin references her pride at serving as a national security adviser under former President George W. Bush and her experience carrying “a Glock and an M4” during time in Iraq with the CIA.
The 48-year-old lawmaker, who’s battle-tested after winning her toss-up Lansing-area House seat three times, is making a targeted appeal to swing voters in her statewide race.
“The only reason I’m standing in front of you is because the very independently minded voters of Michigan voted for Donald Trump and Elissa Slotkin on the same ballot,” Slotkin said.
Shouting out the national attention on the race, Slotkin poked fun at reporters wanting to “study Michiganders” and ask, “‘Are there really swing voters?’”
“Yes, yes, there are really people who do that, and we’re proud of that. We don’t want to be a state that’s hardcore one way or hardcore the other way,” Slotkin declared.
Slotkin is leading Rogers in the polls and has a slim two-point advantage, per the RealClearPolitics average.
But both parties acknowledge that the gap is closing and that this Senate race will come down to the wire. While Slotkin has hammered Rogers in fundraising all cycle, big-pocketed GOP super PACs are swooping in to boost Rogers in the home stretch.
Surrogate watch: In a Midland County stop later that day, Slotkin was flanked by prominent Democrats with a track record of winning tough races by appealing to voters in the middle.
Democratic Govs. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin’s Tony Evers rallied with Slotkin and retiring Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) to hype up volunteers before a canvassing trip.
While Slotkin brings in national Democratic figures, Rogers has benefited from GOP senators helping him. Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) — all GOP leadership heavyweights — have stumped with Rogers this week alone.
At a rally in Grand Rapids, Mich., this week, Rogers slammed Democrats for inflationary policies and high prices that he said have harmed working families in Michigan.
“People are counting on us,” Rogers said. “For the woman who has to take groceries off the conveyor belt and put it back on the shelf, we will have her back.”
Perhaps more importantly, the Republican is tying himself closely to Donald Trump after criticizing the former president for years as a CNN commentator. Rogers left the House in 2014 after seven terms.
Rogers will appear at a roundtable with Trump and Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) in Oakland County today before speaking at a Detroit rally for Trump later tonight.
Presidential implications: Of course, as with anything in Michigan, the top of the ticket is dominating most conversations. While Rogers is all in on Trump, Slotkin has attracted headlines for raising the alarm about Vice President Kamala Harris’ standing in the state.
On Thursday, Slotkin reiterated that she’s “still very much concerned about how it’s going to come out in November.”
“And that’s why we’re working so hard,” Slotkin added, noting the Harris-Walz campaign is “pounding the pavement” by prioritizing visits to Michigan. Harris is rallying voters in Grand Rapids and Oakland County Friday.
Another concern for Democrats in the state is how the party will fare with Arab American and Muslim voters incensed by U.S. support for Israel’s war against Hamas.
Slotkin bristled at the question and noted that she had won the majority of the primary vote in Dearborn, Mich., the hub of the state’s Muslim population.
“There are people who are so concerned about Donald Trump winning again — that even though they’re not happy with Biden and Harris — they just don’t want their children growing up in a country like that again,” Slotkin said of voters upset about the situation in Gaza.
