Carlson backs Democrat over Republican in tightly contested Michigan Senate race
Right-wing podcaster Tucker Carlson has publicly rejected Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers in Michigan's closely watched Senate race, instead praising Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed's campaign style as "Trumpian". Speaking on his podcast alongside Saagar Enjeti, Carlson said he wouldn't vote for Rogers "at gun point" and branded him a "tool of Israel and the intel agencies", even as both hosts acknowledged El-Sayed is a radical leftist. The remarks matter because they highlight a widening rift between Carlson and mainstream MAGA Republicanism, and could complicate Republican efforts to win a seat rated a "toss up" in the fight for Senate control.
El-Sayed narrowly won a turbulent Democratic primary over Congresswoman Haley Stevens, prompting President Trump to call him a "Communist loser who hates Jews and Israel" while welcoming the tight result as good news for Republicans. Carlson's comments follow a summer gathering at his Maine cabin with figures including Marjorie Taylor Greene, Thomas Massie and Joe Kent, seen as part of a broader effort to build an alternative political movement outside traditional MAGA lines. The Daily Mail said Republican operatives and party representatives did not respond to requests for comment.
In short
- Tucker Carlson snubs Republican Mike Rogers, praises Democrat Abdul El-Sayed's style
- Michigan Senate race is rated a toss-up amid fight for Senate control
- Move reflects Carlson's growing split from mainstream MAGA Republicans
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Carlson’s rejection of Rogers could be defended as a principled refusal to support a candidate he sees as too closely aligned with intelligence agencies and Israeli policy, even at the cost of helping a Democrat. El-Sayed’s campaign style may also appeal to voters who value political disruption and direct challenges to established power, though Carlson and Enjeti acknowledged his left-wing views.
The case against
Republicans could argue that Carlson’s intervention risks weakening their chances in a close contest and helping elect a candidate whose politics they consider far from their own. They may also contend that disagreements with Rogers are better addressed through scrutiny of his record and policy positions than by endorsing an opposing party’s nominee.
Explained simply
Michigan’s Senate seat is one of a number of contests that could help decide which party controls the US Senate. The state’s voters choose one senator, who serves six-year terms and votes on federal laws and appointments.
The main candidates are Republican Mike Rogers, a former congressman, and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, a doctor and former public health official. El-Sayed secured his party’s nomination after a close primary contest with Congresswoman Haley Stevens.
Tucker Carlson is a prominent conservative podcaster whose views sometimes differ from those of Republican leaders and Donald Trump. His criticism of Rogers and praise for aspects of El-Sayed’s campaign have drawn attention to divisions among conservatives and to the range of views in a closely contested race.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Tucker Carlson spurns Republican in battleground race that could tip Senate heaping praise on ‘Trumpian’ Democrat”.