Michigan voters showed the swinginess of their state in conversations with Fox News the day before the midterm elections, with one former Democrat firmly backing GOP Senate candidate Mike Rogers and a lifelong Republican holding his nose to vote for Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a Democrat.
asserted
Republican → show → Sayed
After casting a ballot for Rogers, voter Marjorie Mehney said she was a Democrat "years ago" and would be "embarrassed to be one today" with candidates like El-Sayed representing the party.
asserted
candidates → cast → party
However, she pointed out that El-Sayed has won over many voters in her hometown of Petoskey, located in Emmet County, where President Donald Trump took more than 55% of the vote in 2024.
asserted
Trump → point → 2024
We've never seen anything like the support that's going on with signs in front yards," Mehney told Fox News in downtown Rochester.
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Mehney → see → Rochester
When asked if she knew why there had been a shift toward El-Sayed, she said she had "no idea" and called the momentum he is experiencing in her community "a bit shocking."
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he → ask → community
"They are people I've known and never knew that they felt this way that Abdul does," she said.
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she → know → ?
Mehney predicted that El-Sayed will prevail over Rogers on Tuesday, but warned that Michigan voters will come to regret sending him to the Senate.
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voters → predict → Senate
Another voter, Tom Wright, told Fox News that he voted for El-Sayed despite disagreeing with him on "60% to 70% of his policy positions."
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he → tell → positions
"I cannot bring myself to vote for a Trump minion under any circumstances," Wright said, referring to Rogers.
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Wright → bring → Rogers
Rogers left Congress before Trump launched his first presidential campaign, representing Michigan's 8th District from 2001 to 2015, meaning he has no congressional voting record on Trump's legislative agenda across either of his two terms.
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he → leave → terms
Rogers has made his position clear on a series of Trump policies.
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position → make → policies
For instance, he backed the Iran war in its early stages and has supported giving presidents broad authority to impose reciprocal tariffs, as Trump did.
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Trump → back → tariffs
However, as the Senate campaign entered its final stretch, Rogers has distanced himself with Trump on both issues.
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Rogers → enter → issues
In late September, he released an ad calling for a quick end to the Iran war, and in early October, another ad of his demanded an end to the "tariff war" with Canada.
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ad → release → Canada
Wright, who described himself as "a lifelong Republican," said Rogers' shifts on those issues were not enough to win his support.
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shifts → describe → support
Wright argued that the GOP is "too far toward Trump" and that "Mike Rogers won't stop it."
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Rogers → argue → it
"The litmus test is, are people willing to hold their nose and vote for Abdul because they are so appalled by Trump?
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they → hold → Trump
Not that they like Abdul or are a progressive," Wright said.
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Wright → like → Abdul
When asked about his reservations about El-Sayed, Wright said he doesn't like his stance on Israel and Palestine.
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he → ask → Israel
"I don't think he has sufficiently disavowed elements that I consider divisive.
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I → think → elements
A man is judged by the company he keeps and he keeps some pretty bad company," Wright said.
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Wright → judge → company
I don't care what he says he's going to do.
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he → care → what
He can't do a damn thing.
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He → do → thing
And if some sanity returns the Republican Party in six years, I can vote for the opposition."
A third Michigan voter, Gerald, said he was planning to split his ticket, telling Fox News he would vote for Rogers for Senate and Democrat Jocelyn Benson for governor.
Gerald wasn't comfortable voting for El-Sayed because he heard he is a "communist."
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he → return → Sayed
As in past midterm elections, Michigan could play a pivotal role in determining control of Congress.
uncertain
Michigan → play → Congress
Polls are open across the state Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., with voters still able to cast a ballot as long as they are in line by the time polls close.
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polls → cast → time
The Aporia
