Full Breakdown
Rogers’ 9/11 Attack on Opponent Fuels Michigan Senate Race
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers has centered his 2026 Michigan campaign on Democratic opponent Abdul El-Sayed’s past remarks about the September 11 attacks and his association with far-left streamer Hasan Piker. Rogers also highlighted his own voting record against legislation that provided health care and benefits to 9/11 first responders, framing the issue as a test of each candidate’s patriotism and support for emergency personnel.
Background & Context
Rogers, a former FBI agent and ex-chair of the House Intelligence Committee, voted against the 2010 James Zadroga Act, which allocated $5.1 billion to treat roughly 40,000 responders for more than 50 cancers linked to Ground Zero exposure. He joined 156 other Republicans in that vote and later opposed additional funding for veterans and first-responder health programs.
El-Sayed, a former Detroit health director, has been criticized for past social-media posts that referenced 9/11. In 2019, streamer Hasan Piker said “America deserved 9/11,” a comment that resurfaced during the campaign. El-Sayed has repeatedly disavowed the remark and condemned terrorism, but Rogers has portrayed the association as evidence of “sympathy for terrorists.”
Timeline
- 2010 – Rogers votes against the Zadroga Act.
- 2002 – Rogers opposes additional funding for veterans and 9/11-related school expenses.
- 2011 – Rogers backs a homeland-security appropriations bill with deep cuts to first-responder funding.
- 2013-14 – Rogers votes against budget amendments that would have funded first-responder programs and against a pension-protection proposal.
- September 11, 2001 – The terrorist attacks that remain a focal point of the campaign.
Data & Statistics
- 156 Republicans, including Rogers, voted against the Zadroga Act.
- The Zadroga package carried a $5.1 billion price tag.
- Approximately 40,000 responders received health monitoring and treatment under the act.
- The legislation addressed over 50 cancer types linked to toxic exposure at Ground Zero.
Official Statements & Responses
Rogers has asserted that El-Sayed’s past comments and his ties to Piker constitute a “bad-faith lie” meant to mislead voters, and he framed the September 11 attacks as a reason to strengthen borders and the military.
First-responder advocate John Feal criticized Rogers for opposing benefits, describing the stance as a betrayal of those who served. Retired firefighter-turned-city-councilmember Henry Yanez called Rogers’ record “shameful” and highlighted the inconsistency between Rogers’ law-enforcement background and his voting pattern.
Criticism & Opposition
Feal, who testified before Congress on the Zadroga legislation, said Rogers’ opposition “betrays” the very heroes the bill was designed to help. Critics argue that Rogers’ rhetoric masks a longstanding pattern of opposing aid for emergency personnel.
What’s Next
The Michigan Senate race heads to the November ballot. Both campaigns are expected to continue leveraging the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks to frame arguments on national security, veteran and responder benefits, and the candidates’ perceived alignment with American values.
