Michigan · U.S. Senate · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Where do the candidates stand on the economy and taxes?

Abdul El-SayedDemocrat
Mike RogersRepublican

Part of the full Michigan U.S. Senate comparison · Last reviewed October 19, 2026

Economy & Taxes

Each position is labeled by what it rests on: a campaign proposal, a public statement, a past action such as a vote or lawsuit, or an enacted policy. Where nothing is documented, the page says so.

Documented positions

Proposes higher taxes on the wealthiest Americans, including a tax on wealth over $1 billion, and supports “smart tariffs” tied to industrial policy, the PRO Act and stronger antitrust enforcement.

Show the evidence (3)

Campaign proposalAug. 2026
His platform proposes taxing capital gains over $1 million as ordinary income, raising the marginal rate on earnings over $1 million, a tax on wealth over $1 billion, a cost-of-living exemption on federal taxes up to $50,000 and closing the Social Security payroll tax cap. SourceAbdul El-Sayed (opens in a new tab)Ballotpedia · Reference
Public statementOct. 8, 2026
Said in the Oct. 8, 2026 debate that he supports “smart tariffs” tied to an industrial policy, as the UAW has proposed. Source6 takeaways from the Michigan Senate debate between Abdul El-Sayed and Mike Rogers (opens in a new tab)WLNS 6 News, via Yahoo News · Oct. 9, 2026 · News
Campaign proposalMarch 17, 2026
In his March 2026 answer to Ballotpedia’s candidate survey, said he would fight to enforce antitrust laws so corporations “can’t keep buying each other and price-gouging us” and to ensure every worker has the right to join a union through the PRO Act. SourceAbdul El-Sayed (opens in a new tab)Ballotpedia · Reference

Campaign proposalAug. 2026
His platform proposes taxing capital gains over $1 million as ordinary income, raising the marginal rate on earnings over $1 million, a tax on wealth over $1 billion, a cost-of-living exemption on federal taxes up to $50,000 and closing the Social Security payroll tax cap. SourceAbdul El-Sayed (opens in a new tab)Ballotpedia · Reference
Public statementOct. 8, 2026
Said in the Oct. 8, 2026 debate that he supports “smart tariffs” tied to an industrial policy, as the UAW has proposed. Source6 takeaways from the Michigan Senate debate between Abdul El-Sayed and Mike Rogers (opens in a new tab)WLNS 6 News, via Yahoo News · Oct. 9, 2026 · News
Campaign proposalMarch 17, 2026
In his March 2026 answer to Ballotpedia’s candidate survey, said he would fight to enforce antitrust laws so corporations “can’t keep buying each other and price-gouging us” and to ensure every worker has the right to join a union through the PRO Act. SourceAbdul El-Sayed (opens in a new tab)Ballotpedia · Reference

Wants the tariff dispute with Canada to end after calling tariffs necessary; voted against the 2008 financial rescue law and for an auto aid bill the Senate did not pass.

Show the evidence (2)

Public statementOct. 8, 2026
In the Oct. 8 debate, said he had called the White House and talked to the commerce secretary about a trade deal with Canada, that Canada's tariffs on U.S. goods should be eliminated and tariffs he considers too high removed, and that he would like the trade war to end. His Oct. 7 ad says “Canada is not our enemy”; in August he had called tariffs “necessary, but are not a one-size-fits-all solution.” 3 sourcesSparks fly as Abdul El-Sayed and Mike Rogers face off in first Michigan Senate debate (opens in a new tab)NBC News · Oct. 8, 2026 · NewsAD: WE NEED TO END THE TARIFF WAR — NOW (opens in a new tab)Rogers for Senate · Oct. 7, 2026 · CampaignMICHIGAN DEMOCRATS HAVE MANAGED OUR STATE'S DECLINE; NOW, IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE (opens in a new tab)Rogers for Senate · Aug. 29, 2026 · Campaign
Past action2008
Voted against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, which authorized federal purchases of troubled assets to stabilize the financial system; the House agreed to the Senate-passed version 263–171 on Oct. 3, 2008, and it was signed into law the same day. Voted for the Auto Industry Financing and Restructuring Act (H.R. 7321), which passed the House 237–170 on Dec. 10, 2008; the Senate received it on Dec. 11, 2008, and did not pass it. His campaign says he “voted for the auto rescue and against the Wall Street bailout.” 7 sourcesRoll Call 681: H.R. 1424, Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, On Motion to Concur in Senate Amendments (opens in a new tab)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Oct. 3, 2008 · Legislative recordRoll Call Vote 110th Congress - 2nd Session, Vote Number 213: On Passage of the Bill H.R. 1424 (opens in a new tab)U.S. Senate · Oct. 1, 2008 · Legislative recordPublic Law 110-343, Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (opens in a new tab)U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo) · Oct. 3, 2008 · Legislative recordRoll Call 690: H.R. 7321, Auto Industry Financing and Restructuring Act, On Passage (opens in a new tab)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Dec. 10, 2008 · Legislative recordH.R. 7321 (RDS): An Act To authorize financial assistance to eligible automobile manufacturers, and for other purposes (opens in a new tab)U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo) · Dec. 11, 2008 · Legislative recordSenator Murray's Statement on the Auto Industry Financing and Restructuring Act (opens in a new tab)Office of U.S. Senator Patty Murray · Dec. 11, 2008 · GovernmentAD: WE NEED TO END THE TARIFF WAR — NOW (opens in a new tab)Rogers for Senate · Oct. 7, 2026 · Campaign

Public statementOct. 8, 2026
In the Oct. 8 debate, said he had called the White House and talked to the commerce secretary about a trade deal with Canada, that Canada's tariffs on U.S. goods should be eliminated and tariffs he considers too high removed, and that he would like the trade war to end. His Oct. 7 ad says “Canada is not our enemy”; in August he had called tariffs “necessary, but are not a one-size-fits-all solution.” 3 sourcesSparks fly as Abdul El-Sayed and Mike Rogers face off in first Michigan Senate debate (opens in a new tab)NBC News · Oct. 8, 2026 · NewsAD: WE NEED TO END THE TARIFF WAR — NOW (opens in a new tab)Rogers for Senate · Oct. 7, 2026 · CampaignMICHIGAN DEMOCRATS HAVE MANAGED OUR STATE'S DECLINE; NOW, IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE (opens in a new tab)Rogers for Senate · Aug. 29, 2026 · Campaign
Past action2008
Voted against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, which authorized federal purchases of troubled assets to stabilize the financial system; the House agreed to the Senate-passed version 263–171 on Oct. 3, 2008, and it was signed into law the same day. Voted for the Auto Industry Financing and Restructuring Act (H.R. 7321), which passed the House 237–170 on Dec. 10, 2008; the Senate received it on Dec. 11, 2008, and did not pass it. His campaign says he “voted for the auto rescue and against the Wall Street bailout.” 7 sourcesRoll Call 681: H.R. 1424, Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, On Motion to Concur in Senate Amendments (opens in a new tab)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Oct. 3, 2008 · Legislative recordRoll Call Vote 110th Congress - 2nd Session, Vote Number 213: On Passage of the Bill H.R. 1424 (opens in a new tab)U.S. Senate · Oct. 1, 2008 · Legislative recordPublic Law 110-343, Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (opens in a new tab)U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo) · Oct. 3, 2008 · Legislative recordRoll Call 690: H.R. 7321, Auto Industry Financing and Restructuring Act, On Passage (opens in a new tab)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Dec. 10, 2008 · Legislative recordH.R. 7321 (RDS): An Act To authorize financial assistance to eligible automobile manufacturers, and for other purposes (opens in a new tab)U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo) · Dec. 11, 2008 · Legislative recordSenator Murray's Statement on the Auto Industry Financing and Restructuring Act (opens in a new tab)Office of U.S. Senator Patty Murray · Dec. 11, 2008 · GovernmentAD: WE NEED TO END THE TARIFF WAR — NOW (opens in a new tab)Rogers for Senate · Oct. 7, 2026 · Campaign

Recorded votes on the economy and taxes

Selected votes

Measures only one of the two candidates voted on.

No legislative record

Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (H.R. 1424, 110th Congress)
Economy
Authorized the federal government to purchase and insure certain types of troubled assets to stabilize the economy and financial system, and included energy tax incentives, extensions of expiring tax provisions and individual income tax relief.
Passed the Senate 74–25 on Oct. 1, 2008; the House agreed to the Senate amendments 263–171 on Oct. 3, 2008; signed into law Oct. 3, 2008 (Public Law 110-343).
4 sourcesRoll Call 681: H.R. 1424, Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, On Motion to Concur in Senate Amendments (opens in a new tab)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Oct. 3, 2008 · Legislative recordRoll Call Vote 110th Congress - 2nd Session, Vote Number 213: On Passage of the Bill H.R. 1424 (opens in a new tab)U.S. Senate · Oct. 1, 2008 · Legislative recordPublic Law 110-343, Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (opens in a new tab)U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo) · Oct. 3, 2008 · Legislative recordMike Rogers wants a job in the US Senate. What’d he do in the House? (opens in a new tab)Bridge Michigan · Sept. 22, 2026 · News
Voted no
U.S. House · Oct. 3, 2008
On Motion to Concur in Senate Amendments
House roll call 681, 2008 (official record, opens in a new tab)SourceRoll Call 681: H.R. 1424, Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, On Motion to Concur in Senate Amendments (opens in a new tab)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Oct. 3, 2008 · Legislative record

In their own words

Statements

Taxes
I’ll deliver tax relief for working people and make the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share.
Abdul El-Sayed · Written answer to the League of Women Voters' VOTE411 voter guide question on the economy · 2026
SourceU.S. Senate — VOTE411 Voter Guide (opens in a new tab)League of Women Voters Education Fund (VOTE411) · 2026 · Candidate questionnaire

Tariffs and trade with Canada
Canada still has some high tariffs for U.S. goods, and they did it before they started. Those should be eliminated. There are tariffs that I think are too high and not helpful for us. We ought to get rid of those. So this is about getting the best deal possible. I’d like to see it end.
Mike Rogers · First general-election debate with Abdul El-Sayed, hosted by WOOD TV8 and NewsNation in Grand Rapids, in an answer on tariffs, as quoted by NBC News · Oct. 8, 2026
2 sourcesFull video: Abdul El-Sayed, Mike Rogers debate in Michigan US Senate race (opens in a new tab)Bridge Michigan · Oct. 8, 2026 · Transcript or videoSparks fly as Abdul El-Sayed and Mike Rogers face off in first Michigan Senate debate (opens in a new tab)NBC News · Oct. 8, 2026 · News

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