Michigan GOP Senate candidate Mike Rogers became the latest Senate Republican hopeful to endorse former President Trump in the GOP primary, underscoring the enduring influence Trump has over his party.
Rogers, who has previously been critical of Trump, said in an op-ed in the Daily Caller published Tuesday that he was supporting the former president, saying he had “no doubt” the GOP front-runner “will be able to deliver for the American people.”
“The first step to getting America back on track starts with putting an end to Bidenomics and returning to the leadership and proven policies of President Trump. In Trump’s America, small businesses were thriving, entrepreneurship flourished, family checkbooks were balanced, 401ks were growing, and the economy was stronger than ever as American ingenuity took hold,” the Michigan Republican wrote.
“That was just a few years ago, but I know that with a Republican Senate majority and President Trump in the White House, we will do it again,” he added.
His endorsement was first reported by The Detroit News. In a statement, Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes alleged the former congressman “is desperately trying to hide his previous criticism as he cozies up to Trump and embraces dangerous election conspiracy theories.”
“Rogers has made clear that he is too extreme for Michigan as he caves to political pressure to help himself get ahead,” Barnes added.
Rogers previously considered running for the White House, suggesting in an interview with The Hill last year that “there’s a lane for a solutions-oriented, optimistic, not-admiring-the-problem candidate.”
The former House Intelligence Committee chair ultimately passed on a White House run, later announcing a run for retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s (D-Mich.) seat last September — delivering the Senate GOP campaign arm a major recruit.
But the Michigan Senate candidate has been previously critical of Trump and was earlier noncommittal about whether he would back the former president in 2024 if he won the Republican nomination.
“I don’t believe today as I’m sitting here that Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee in 2024. Don’t believe it,” Rogers told CBS News in late March.
During an interview with Washington Post columnist David Ignatius, Rogers suggested that “Trump’s time has passed.”
Rogers recently brushed off his past differences with Trump, telling the National Review, “If you weren’t disagreeing at some point along the way, you weren’t engaged in politics.”
Roger is the latest GOP Senate candidate to back Trump — others have also included West Virginia candidates Gov. Jim Justice and Rep. Alex Mooney, and Ohio candidates Bernie Moreno and Frank LaRose, among others.