Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers (R) broke with President Donald Trump’s escalating trade fight with Canada on Wednesday, calling for an immediate end to tariffs he had defended only weeks earlier.
Rogers Reverses Course As Election Tightens
“Here in Michigan, we know that Canada is not our enemy. We need to end this tariff war — now,” Rogers said in a campaign ad. He added that, as senator, he would work across party lines to lower prices. Reuters said Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed (D) are running neck-and-neck in public polling ahead of November’s election.
The shift marks a clear change from September, when Rogers praised Trump’s “America First” trade approach and called tariffs “necessary,” while saying they were “not a one-size-fits-all solution.” El-Sayed has repeatedly attacked Rogers for supporting the tariffs and previously criticized Trump’s escalating dispute with Canada.
Michigan Trade Exposure Raises Campaign Stakes
The dispute escalated after Washington imposed 50% tariffs on roughly $20 billion of Canadian goods under Section 338 of the Tariff Act. U.S.-Canada talks later collapsed, prompting Ottawa to announce retaliatory measures. The Trump administration has since tightened restrictions on some Canadian products, while Trump has threatened 50% tariffs on Canadian cars, trucks and auto parts beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
Michigan sits directly in the line of fire. Canadian government data show the state imports $43.5 billion in goods from Canada annually and exports $21.2 billion there. Transportation products account for 48% of imports and 50% of exports, reflecting the deeply integrated auto supply chain linking Michigan and Ontario.
That exposure has made tariffs a central campaign issue. Michigan manufacturers depend heavily on cross-border supply chains, while industry leaders have warned a prolonged dispute could threaten jobs. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also argued that tariffs could raise costs and jeopardize auto jobs, while Republican Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) has criticized their local economic impact.
Trump Rejects Rift As Republicans Distance
Trump, however, rejected the suggestion that Rogers had broken with him. Asked about the ad Wednesday during an event, he said, “I viewed [Rogers] as saying that he thinks Canada should make a deal.”
Rogers’s move comes as Reuters found that roughly two-thirds of Republican candidates in competitive congressional races have distanced themselves from Trump on at least one issue this year, as candidates navigate voter concerns over prices, trade and the economy.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
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