Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers has once again found himself at the center of controversy over his residency, with many questioning whether he's truly a Michigander or simply a "carpetbagger" who's exploiting the state for personal gain. As he resumes campaign activity from his Florida mansion, doubts about his allegiance to Michigan are resurfacing.
Rogers, a former FBI agent and congressman, has been accused of being more connected to the Sunshine State than the Great Lakes State. His recent comments on a right-wing radio show, where he jokingly said he'd rather be "on the beach in Florida" as Michigan faced a winter storm, have only added fuel to the fire.
Despite his claims that he's a born-and-raised Michigander, Rogers' past actions and associations raise serious questions about his commitment to the state. His decision to launch his Senate campaign from Florida, followed by a series of media interviews recorded from inside his Cape Coral home, has only further eroded trust in his candidacy.
The Democratic side of the race is also facing scrutiny over its own connections to out-of-state donors and operatives. But for Rogers, the real question on everyone's mind is: where does he truly call home?
Rogers' campaign spokeswoman Alyssa Brouillet has attempted to deflect criticism by pointing out that other candidates in the race have questionable ties to out-of-state donors. However, this only serves to highlight the broader issue of carpetbaggery in Michigan politics.
The renewed focus on residency comes as Rogers is trying to consolidate the Republican base with a campaign infrastructure built around hard-right activists and clergy. But for many voters, the fact that he's more comfortable campaigning from Florida than Michigan will always be a major red flag.
As Curtis Hertel, chair of the Michigan Democratic Party, so aptly put it: "Mike Rogers enriched himself at Michiganders' expense, moved to Florida, made a fortune from industries he oversaw in Congress and shady foreign interests, and only came back so he could run for Senate." It's clear that Rogers is more interested in lining his own pockets than serving the people of Michigan.
Rogers, a former FBI agent and congressman, has been accused of being more connected to the Sunshine State than the Great Lakes State. His recent comments on a right-wing radio show, where he jokingly said he'd rather be "on the beach in Florida" as Michigan faced a winter storm, have only added fuel to the fire.
Despite his claims that he's a born-and-raised Michigander, Rogers' past actions and associations raise serious questions about his commitment to the state. His decision to launch his Senate campaign from Florida, followed by a series of media interviews recorded from inside his Cape Coral home, has only further eroded trust in his candidacy.
The Democratic side of the race is also facing scrutiny over its own connections to out-of-state donors and operatives. But for Rogers, the real question on everyone's mind is: where does he truly call home?
Rogers' campaign spokeswoman Alyssa Brouillet has attempted to deflect criticism by pointing out that other candidates in the race have questionable ties to out-of-state donors. However, this only serves to highlight the broader issue of carpetbaggery in Michigan politics.
The renewed focus on residency comes as Rogers is trying to consolidate the Republican base with a campaign infrastructure built around hard-right activists and clergy. But for many voters, the fact that he's more comfortable campaigning from Florida than Michigan will always be a major red flag.
As Curtis Hertel, chair of the Michigan Democratic Party, so aptly put it: "Mike Rogers enriched himself at Michiganders' expense, moved to Florida, made a fortune from industries he oversaw in Congress and shady foreign interests, and only came back so he could run for Senate." It's clear that Rogers is more interested in lining his own pockets than serving the people of Michigan.
He's just trying to sell himself as a Michigander, but it's hard when you're already living in Florida 
so much drama around this guy... I mean, what's up with him? He's just gonna campaign from Florida and not even bother to come back to MI? Like, no offense to beach life, but shouldn't he be representing the whole state or something? 
Anyway, it's kinda funny that everyone's suddenly super concerned about his residency now... didn't they all wonder the same thing when he was running for congress or whatever. And btw, why is this even a big deal? Is MI just not good enough for him? 
and it got me thinking... have you ever tried making a good margherita pizza from scratch? it's way harder than it looks, but the result is so worth it! 
i mean, there's just something about that combination of flavors and textures that hits the spot every time. anyway, back to Rogers... yeah, i don't think it's too much to ask for someone running for office to actually be from the state they're representing 
It's not like he's being transparent about his connections to Florida either, just saying he's "born and raised" but then launching a campaign from there. Just doesn't add up, you know? 
and gotta say, it's weird seeing someone who claims to be a Michigander but seems more connected to Florida 
. He's always had some shady connections 
and now this whole residency thing is just another red flag 
. And honestly, if he can't even be bothered to campaign from Michigan, how do we know he'll actually listen to our concerns when he gets to Washington? 
idk man why cant he just tell us whats goin on? is he really just gonna keep sayin he was born and raised here but then doin everything in florida? sounds like he's playin both sides against the middle...and i dont trust that 
. And those comments on that right-wing radio show? Really trying to sell himself as some kind of beach bum Floridian 
. Can't we just focus on what each candidate is going to do for Michigan? 
I'm literally so done with Mike Rogers right now 
like what even is this dude's story?! 
He's got all these connections to Florida but nobody knows if he even cares about Michiganders? 
His campaign team just tries to deflect by pointing out other people have questionable ties too but it doesn't change the fact that Rogers is basically a "carpetbagger" 
who's more interested in lining his own pockets than actually helping Michigan 
It's just not fair to all the good Michiganders out there who are trying to get their voices heard 
. The fact that he's got more connections to the Sunshine State than the Great Lakes State is just icing on the cake 
. Can't trust him as far as I can throw my laptop 
.
And what's with all these carpetbagger accusations? Is it too much to ask for a candidate who actually knows the state they're trying to represent?
The thing is, if he really is just in it for the money and doesn't care about Michigan, that's not a good look for anyone. On the other hand, I do think we should give him some credit for being honest about his preferences – who wouldn't want to be on the beach in Florida when there's a snowstorm outside? 
Still, though, if he can't even be bothered to run from Michigan, how can we trust him to represent our interests in DC? 
. Newsflash, Mike: you're not fooling anyone with your fake "born-and-raised" act 
. Mark my words, this guy is going to get burned at the ballot box