Trump endorses Rogers for Senate in Michigan

Former President Donald Trump on Monday backed former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers for Senate in Michigan, a monster endorsement for the former congressman's bid to win the Republican primary election in August.

Trump in a post on social media called Rogers "highly respected" and said he'd served his country during a career "loaded up with accolades and wins, from the Army to Congress, and now, hopefully, the U.S. Senate."

"Mike will work closely with me to enact our America First Policies. He will tirelessly fight to Secure the Border, Stop Inflation, Grow the Economy, Strengthen our Military / Veteran Support, and Protect and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment," Trump wrote.

"Mike Rogers will be a Great and Powerful Senator for Michigan, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement. HE KNOWS HOW TO WIN!"

In the GOP primary, Rogers is facing former U.S. Reps. Peter Meijer of Grand Rapids Township and Justin Amash of Cascade Township, businessman Sandy Pensler of Grosse Pointe Park and Michigan State Board of Education member Nikki Snyder of Dexter, among others.

"Thank you, Mr. President! Excited to get to work with you to Get America and Michigan Back on Track!" Rogers said in response Monday.

Trump's endorsement of Rogers drew immediate condemnation from some corners of the GOP, including Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, who called Rogers "a never Trumper, and a card carrying member of the spy state that seeks to destroy Trump."

On X, formerly Twitter, Paul blasted the endorsement and posted a montage of video clips of Rogers on CNN criticizing Trump over the years.

"Donald Trump just endorsed the worst Deep State candidate this cycle," Paul wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "You have to ask yourself who gives Trump this awful advice? Who’s next, John Bolton?"

Winning Trump's nod comes after Rogers was attacked by some of his primary opponents for previous negative comments he made about the former president, including saying in 2022 that "Trump's time had passed."

More:Anti-Trump baggage could dog some Republican Senate candidates in Michigan

Pensler in January even ran an ad cutting together video clips of Rogers from 2017 to 2023 calling Trump’s actions “petty,” “below the stature of the office” and saying “Trump was not my candidate.”

But Rogers, who once served on Trump's transition team in 2016, endorsed the former president and met with him last month in Waterford Township, where Trump rallied supporters.

"The chaotic Senate primary is getting even nastier as Trump pours gasoline on the fire," Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes said in a statement. "Mike Rogers abandoned Michigan a decade ago as he walked through the revolving door to get rich — and Michigan families deserve better."

Rogers, a former chairman of the House intelligence committee, has led fundraising in the GOP primary field and was recruited by the National Republican Senatorial Committee, whose picks haven't always aligned with Trump's.

Rogers had seemed like the "favorite" in the Michigan GOP primary prior to Monday's endorsement, said Kyle Kondik of the University of Virginia Center for Politics.

"And I'd think his status is solidified now, although there's also a long way to go," Kondik said. "Trump doesn't always get his picks through primaries but he often does, and Republicans still certainly believe that his endorsement is very much worth having."

More:Insider: Rogers joins outcry over NATO, condones Trump's 'campaign rhetoric' about Russia

Kondik noted that the endorsement is more evidence that Trump and NRSC Chairman Steve Daines of Montana seem to generally be on the same page ― as opposed to the 2022 cycle when the Republicans produced a "horrible" slate of nominees, some of whom Trump backed against the wishes of other top Republicans.

Rogers also has secured the endorsement of former Detroit police chief James Craig, who dropped out of the Senate race last month because of troubles with fundraising and collecting voter signatures to get on the primary ballot. Former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has backed Pensler in the race.

Trump's endorsement comes relatively early in the primary race ― six weeks ahead of the filing deadline ― compared to his last two statewide nods in Michigan that came shortly before the election.

Trump backed Republican Tudor Dixon for governor four days before the 2022 primary election, and got behind businessman John James for Senate about 10 days before the 2018 primary contest.

Businessman Michael Hoover, a little-known Senate candidate from Laingsburg, also condemned Trump's endorsement of Rogers in a social media post.

"Why in the hell would Trump endorse a neocon that repeatedly trashed Trump on CNN referring to him as fraudster, liar, and criminal?" Hoover wrote on X. "... As always, this is about money and access. ..."

Running in the Democratic primary are three-term U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin of Holly, the actor Hill Harper of Detroit and Dearborn businessman Nasser Beydoun.

mburke@detroitnews.com