Michigan GOP Senate candidate Rogers calls for end to Canada tariff war in new ad
In short
Michigan Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers released a campaign ad Wednesday calling for an end to the “tariff war” with Canada, saying “Canada is not our enemy.” It is another break with the Trump administration by the GOP candidate weeks before the midterm elections, according to Politico and Reuters. Rogers faces Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed in a race where the U.S.-Canada trade dispute is a central issue.
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Michigan Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers called for an end to the “tariff war” with Canada in a campaign advertisement released Wednesday. “Here in Michigan, we know that Canada is not our enemy. We need to end this tariff war now,” Rogers said in the ad. Politico and Reuters described the ad as another break with the Trump administration by the Republican candidate weeks before the midterm elections, and The Hill reported it as a sign that the trade battle may be hurting his campaign. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Rogers added in the ad that “as Michigan’s senator, I’ll bring both parties together to lower your prices.” Politico reported the advertisement is part of a coordinated spend between his campaign and the National Republican Senatorial Committee. The Hill noted that Rogers had previously defended the tariffs as “necessary,” telling USA Today last month they were not a “one-size-fits-all solution,” and that he did not mention President Trump in the ad. [ 1 , 2 ]
Rogers faces Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed, who has blasted the trade war with Canada as “making things more expensive,” according to The Hill, which noted inflation remains above 3 percent amid the Iran war. Politico reported that Republican campaign groups across the country have entered “triage mode” in an effort to salvage GOP control in an unfavorable political environment. [ 1 , 2 ]
The Hill reported that Trump first imposed 50 percent levies on $27.6 billion worth of Canadian goods in August, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney matching those import taxes “dollar for dollar” in early September. Trump has also threatened 50 percent tariffs on Canadian cars, trucks, auto parts and steel starting Jan. 1, The Hill reported. The Hill said it reached out to the White House for comment and did not report a response. [ 2 ]
Those levies and a potential Canadian response would hit Michigan particularly hard, according to The Hill. It reported that businesses in the state import $43.5 billion worth of goods from Canada annually, with cars, trucks and motor vehicle parts accounting for roughly 48 percent of that total, citing Canadian government data. Trucks, cars and motor vehicle parts are also Michigan’s top exports to Canada, at $10.2 billion of the $21.2 billion in products state businesses send there, The Hill reported. [ 2 ]
The Hill said Rogers is not the only Republican calling for an end to the economic dispute between the U.S. and its second-largest trading partner, naming a lawmaker only as “Rep. John J…” before its text ends. Politico reported that Rogers’ call for an end to the war with Iran weeks earlier was a previous break with the administration; no other document mentions that. [ 1 , 2 ]
Why it matters
The Hill reported that Michigan businesses import $43.5 billion worth of goods from Canada annually, about 48 percent of it cars, trucks and motor vehicle parts, and that threatened 50 percent tariffs on Canadian cars, trucks, auto parts and steel from January would hit the state hard. Politico reported that Republican campaign groups nationally have entered “triage mode” to try to preserve GOP control of Congress, and Rogers’ ad is a break from the administration’s position weeks before the midterms.
Key facts
- Michigan Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers called for an end to the “tariff war” with Canada in a campaign advertisement released Wednesday. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Rogers said in the ad: “Here in Michigan, we know that Canada is not our enemy. We need to end this tariff war now.” [ 1 , 2 ]
- Rogers also said that as Michigan’s senator he would “bring both parties together to lower your prices.” [ 1 ]
- Politico reported the ad is part of a coordinated spend between his campaign and the National Republican Senatorial Committee. [ 1 ]
- Rogers faces Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed, who has criticized the trade war as “making things more expensive,” according to The Hill. [ 2 ]
- Rogers previously defended the tariffs as “necessary,” telling USA Today last month they were not a “one-size-fits-all solution,” The Hill reported. [ 2 ]
- The Hill reported Trump imposed 50 percent levies on $27.6 billion worth of Canadian goods in August, that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney matched them “dollar for dollar” in early September, and that Trump has threatened 50 percent tariffs on Canadian cars, trucks, auto parts and steel starting Jan. 1. [ 2 ]
- Michigan businesses import $43.5 billion worth of goods from Canada annually, with cars, trucks and motor vehicle parts about 48 percent of that total, according to Canadian government data cited by The Hill. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether the White House has responded to Rogers’ call. The Hill said it reached out to the White House for comment but reported no response.
- Which other Republicans have called for an end to the U.S.-Canada trade dispute. The Hill’s text names a lawmaker only as “Rep. John J…” before it is cut off, so the rest is unknown.
- The size of the advertising buy behind Rogers’ ad. Only Politico mentions it is a coordinated spend with the National Republican Senatorial Committee, and no figure is given.
- Rogers’ earlier call to end the war with Iran, which Politico cites as his previous break with the administration. Single-source claim from Politico; the other documents do not mention it.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Politico publishes its report on Rogers’ campaign advertisement calling for an end to the “tariff war” with Canada and noting it is part of a coordinated spend with the National Republican Senatorial Committee. [ 1 ]
- The Hill reports the ad and adds detail on Rogers’ Democratic opponent Abdul El-Sayed, Rogers’ earlier defence of the tariffs, the U.S.-Canada tariff measures and Michigan’s trade with Canada. [ 2 ]
- Reuters reports Rogers’ call for an end to the Canada tariff fight as another break with Trump. [ 3 ]