Former Sen. Joe Manchin is backing Republican Mike Rogers over Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s closely watched U.S. Senate contest.
Manchin, who represented West Virginia as a Democrat before becoming an independent, made his preference clear during a September appearance on CNBC. Asked whether he had formally endorsed Rogers, Manchin initially replied, “No, I’ve not endorsed anybody,” while describing Rogers as a personal friend. CNBC host Joe Kernen then asked Manchin whether he was comfortable with El-Sayed becoming a senator, prompting an immediate response from the former Democrat.
“No,” Manchin replied before Kernen pressed him on why he was stopping short of formally endorsing the Republican. Manchin then made his position unmistakable, saying, “I do support Mike Rogers,” and predicting that his former congressional colleague would perform well in the Senate.
Manchin went further in a subsequent Fox News interview Friday, encouraging Michigan voters to support Rogers as the race entered its final days. The former senator cited Rogers’ intelligence and national-security experience while explaining his support for the Republican nominee.
Rogers previously represented Michigan in the House from 2001 through 2015 and chaired the House Intelligence Committee before leaving Congress. He returned to electoral politics in 2024, narrowly losing Michigan’s Senate election to Democrat Elissa Slotkin before launching another campaign for 2026.
Rogers is now running for the seat being vacated by Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, who announced he would not seek another term. El-Sayed, a physician who has never become board certified or treated patients professionally is a former Detroit health director who captured the Democratic nomination after defeating Rep. Haley Stevens in the August primary.
Manchin’s support for Rogers fits his broader criticism of the Democratic Party’s progressive wing since leaving Congress. Manchin left the Democratic Party in 2024 and registered as an independent before retiring from the Senate when his term concluded in January 2025 because the party had become too crazy and left-wing.
He has since launched an organization promoting independent political candidates while continuing to criticize ideological extremes in both major parties.
Rogers has not adopted Manchin’s position on Trump’s trade policies, leaving the two men with clear policy disagreements despite the former senator’s support. Manchin is also not the only Democrat or former Democratic official to distance himself from El-Sayed during the general election.
Rogers launched a “Democrats for Mike Rogers” coalition in August featuring Democrats and independents supporting his candidacy. Detroit City Council member Mary Waters, a Democrat, has publicly spoken favorably about Rogers and his plans for Detroit and skilled trades.
Former Democratic strategist Julian Epstein has also publicly supported Rogers, while former Jill Biden aide Michael LaRosa has said Democrats can win nationally without El-Sayed. El-Sayed has faced additional criticism from Democrats over his positions on Israel and his past association with political streamer Hasan Piker.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently called El-Sayed’s position concerning Israel “wrong,” although she did not endorse Rogers or call for El-Sayed’s defeat. Manchin’s decision is more explicit, with the former Democratic senator now publicly encouraging voters to support the Republican nominee.
Rogers welcomed Manchin’s backing, describing the former West Virginia senator as a “true patriot” after his initial CNBC remarks in September.
