President Donald Trump was nowhere on the Michigan U.S. Senate debate stage Wednesday night, but Democrat Abdul El-Sayed kept putting him in the spotlight. El-Sayed invoked Trump repeatedly while trying to portray Republican Mike Rogers as the president’s “sock puppet.”

El-Sayed mentioned Trump 18 times during the hourlong debate. He also repeatedly dismissed Rogers’ answers as “MAGA bingo,” arguing that the Republican was leaning on talking points aligned with Trump.

The phrase became a recurring feature of the debate after Rogers accused El-Sayed of supporting socialist policies, open borders, and defunding the police. Rogers eventually returned fire by suggesting the real bingo game occurred whenever El-Sayed inserted Trump into an answer.

Despite El-Sayed’s effort to tie Rogers tightly to Trump, the Republican did not side with the president on every policy. Rogers broke with Trump on trade, describing the president’s tariffs as a “mixed bag” and saying tariffs on Canada may have been “not well thought through.”

Rogers also opposed allowing Chinese automakers to build vehicles in the United States. He said Congress should prohibit Chinese companies from building cars in the country, prompting El-Sayed to point toward Trump’s willingness to consider such manufacturing.

El-Sayed then questioned whether Rogers would confront Trump over the issue. The exchange handed the Democrat an opening, though it also highlighted one of the debate’s clearest policy differences between Rogers and the president.

Wednesday’s event was the second debate between Rogers and El-Sayed, arriving just weeks before Michigan’s midterm election. The open Senate seat has attracted national attention because it could help decide control of the upper chamber.

The contest has also become a major test for the Democratic Party’s progressive wing in a crucial battleground state. El-Sayed has support from progressive figures including Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.

El-Sayed’s agenda includes Medicare for All, higher taxes on wealthy Americans, ending U.S. military aid to Israel and abolishing ICE. During the debate, he sought to portray Rogers as a Trump-aligned “corporate politician.”

Rogers countered by accusing El-Sayed of displaying a “pattern of deception.” He argued that the Democrat had misrepresented his record and changed his positions, while repeatedly presenting El-Sayed as outside Michigan’s political mainstream.

BREAKING: Mike Rogers is DECIMATING Abdul El Sayed in front of Michigan voters in a pure masterclass

"He lied about being an Egyptian dual citizen." "Did you lie about his relationships with an organization that should give us all pause [Muslim Brotherhood]? Yep, he did." "Did you lie on your resume? Yep, did. You lied about being a physician." "He lied about some of his stances on these positions as he's flipped again." "This is a pattern that we need to understand!" Rogers is going RAPID FIRE mode and everyone sees Abdul's lies! This is the same case his new ad makes about Mohammed's family ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, and now he's saying it straight to voters' faces Michigan's Senate seat could decide who controls the Senate VOTE RED, MICHIGAN. — Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 21, 2026

The Republican tied El-Sayed and his policies to the Democratic Socialists of America and pressed him over his past support for defunding the police. Rogers also alleged that some of El-Sayed’s donors and supporters had ties to Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Muslim Brotherhood.

Rogers directly challenged El-Sayed’s allegiance after raising those alleged connections. “Are you for America or are you for these terrorist groups overseas?” he asked during one of the debate’s sharpest confrontations.

.@MikeRogersForMI CALLS OUT Abdul El-Sayed's terrorist ties.

"If you are going to go to the U.S. Senate, we need to know — are you for America or are you for these terrorist groups overseas?" "That is a RISK to our national security." https://t.co/kd8hRkhlua — Senate Republicans (@NRSC) October 21, 2026

The most contentious exchange came during a discussion of public safety. Rogers attacked El-Sayed over his past position on defunding the police, accused him of deleting social media posts, and cited previous remarks involving former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, who was backed by the Muslim Brotherhood.

El-Sayed called it “beneath” Rogers to question his commitment to the Constitution. He said he was “proud to be an American” and described Rogers’ questioning as “shameful.”

Mike Rogers COOKS Abdul for playing victim with muslim brotherhood ties. https://t.co/mkDduaUQDB

— Great Lakes HQ (@GreatLakes_HQ) October 21, 2026

El-Sayed is a Muslim and first-generation American whose parents emigrated from Egypt. His rhetoric concerning the war in Gaza and his positions on Israel have drawn scrutiny, while some members of Michigan’s Jewish community have openly disavowed his candidacy.

Rogers said his campaign was performing well among Jewish voters, who he claimed were fearful of El-Sayed’s rhetoric. He also called El-Sayed too “extreme” for Michigan and cited prominent Democrats who have said they cannot support the party’s nominee.

Michigan Republicans continued that argument after the debate, noting that El-Sayed previously campaigned with Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who once said America deserved the 9/11 terrorist attacks. MIGOP Chairman Jim Runestad warned against El-Sayed’s policies and political associations.

“We cannot afford Abdul El-Sayed's far-left, big-government policies, and we cannot risk electing a person who campaigns with the likes of Hasan Piker and seemingly justified the horrific terrorist attack targeting children and the Jewish community in Bloomfield Hills,” Runestad said in a statement.

The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Conservative Scoop. Contact us for guidelines on submitting your own commentary.