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Exclusive Mike Rogers interview on surprise endorsement; Dingell, McMorrow talk about fallout
A special election preview show has GOP candidate for Senate Mike Rogers talk about the surprise endorsement he received on Sunday from U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens (D). Stevens attended church with Rogers in the morning, before announcing her endorsement. U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D), and State Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D), who also ran in the primary for the Senate seat, also were on the show to discuss the fallout from the democratic side of things.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D), and State Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D), both joined Fox 2 Detroit to discuss the fallout from Rep. Haley Stevens' endorsement of GOP Senate candidate Mike Rogers.
Rep. Dingell and Sen. McMorrow discuss the election
Local perspective:
Both Dingell and McMorrow were asked about Stevens' endorsement of Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers and whether it was pulling attention away from Democrat Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and the race itself.
Dingell said she told Stevens on Friday night not to attend an event with Jim Clyburn because the situation had become a distraction. Dingell also said Stevens told her at midnight that talk of backing Rogers was a rumor and not true before the endorsement became public.
"Look, I'm just upset. I'm very concerned. It's sad, but I don't want to be distracted anymore," said Dingell.
According to McMorrow, the phones in her district have not been lighting up over the Stevens endorsement. She said people she talks to are worried about gas prices, grocery costs, voting rights, evictions and healthcare, and she said her office is hearing more from people facing the loss of housing.
"My district is the most diverse Senate district in the state. It's northwest Detroit through Birmingham. And no matter where I am, people are concerned about, ‘can I afford to stay in my house?’ The number of calls to my office with people who are facing eviction have gone up. We're about to see 200,000 Michiganders lose their healthcare. That's what I'm hearing, not about this," said McMorrow.
Big picture view:
McMorrow said Rogers' campaign was trying to tie economic frustration to fear of El-Sayed's religion and background. She said a mailer sent to her home showed a picture of Abdul next to the Twin Towers and pushed voters not to trust him because of his name, race and religion.
"It's beyond a distraction. They are running the most bigoted, hateful, Islamophobic campaign I've ever seen," said McMorrow.