DETROIT
Republican Mike Rogers did not attend a Sept. 15 televised town hall in Michigan's U.S. Senate race, saying his campaign never agreed to participate. His Democratic opponent, Abdul El-Sayed, took part in the Fox 2 Detroit event.
Rogers told CBS News Detroit that the moderator showed bias toward El-Sayed. "When you have someone who's already picked their candidate, you can't have a two-on-one event in a TV studio," Rogers said.
El-Sayed said Rogers was dodging questions about his record and his support for President Trump. "If I were him, I wouldn't debate me either," El-Sayed said.
El-Sayed criticized Rogers for avoiding questions about tariffs involving Canada and the cost of war. He also noted Rogers had time to speak at a Republican convention in Dallas while declining the Detroit event.
Fox 2 Detroit invited both candidates on Aug. 5. El-Sayed accepted the next day. Rogers' campaign said it never agreed to attend.
Rogers rejected any suggestion he had broken a commitment. "We never had it on our schedule," he said, and called the station's plan to leave a podium open for him "highly unprofessional."
Both candidates have agreed to two debates scheduled for Oct. 8 and Oct. 21. El-Sayed had pushed for five debates, challenging Rogers on Aug. 5, the day CBS News projected he won the Democratic primary.
This Michigan Senate contest is one of the most closely watched races nationally. The UVA Center for Politics rates the matchup as a toss-up. The seat, left open by retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, is considered crucial for control of the Senate.
