Trump-backed Mike Rogers raises $1.6 million in third-quarter

Former Republican Michigan Rep. Mike Rogers raised $1.6 million for the year’s third quarter, padding his war chest for what is expected to be an expensive contest to flip the state’s open Senate seat red.

Rogers’ fundraising haul, obtained exclusively by the Daily Caller News Foundation, will report $2.7 million in the bank at the close of the third quarter, which runs from July to September. The Michigan Republican is neck-and-neck with his Democratic competitors in fundraising and is well-positioned for the general election after likely avoiding a potential primary challenge.

Republicans view the open seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters as a prime pickup opportunity during the midterms. Rogers is touting the third-quarter figures as evidence that he has the wind in his sails to win in 2026.

“Mike has the momentum,” Rogers campaign spokeswoman Alyssa Brouillet said in a statement obtained by the DCNF. “From his historic groundgame operation, to President Trump’s ‘complete and total’ endorsement, and his growing campaign warchest, Mike Rogers continues to prove that he is ready to fight and win next November. Soon, we will get Michigan working again.”

The fundraising total includes contributions from more than 22,000 donors across all 83 counties. More than 98% of the contributions during the third quarter were under $100, with the average donation clocking in at under $30, according to figures obtained by the DCNF.

Rogers’ third-quarter cash on hand totals more money in his campaign account than the two-time Senate candidate reported at any point in his first Senate run. Rogers came just 19,000 votes of beating now-Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin in 2024 despite being outraised nearly five to one. He had less than $800,000 in the bank at this point last cycle.

President Donald Trump endorsed Rogers, who is running as a strong supporter of the president and his policy agenda, in July, effectively clearing the primary field for the former House lawmaker and army veteran. Rogers also has the backing of Senate Republicans’ campaign arm, Senate GOP leadership, and several outside spending groups that could dump millions into the race in support of his second Senate run.

A pro-Rogers super PAC raised more than $5 million in 2025’s second fundraising quarter. The Great Lakes Conservative Fund has not yet announced its third-quarter haul.

Rogers has also made early investments in a statewide ground game operation that aims to turn out low-propensity voters who helped carry Trump to victory in the state by 80,000 votes in 2024.

Michigan Democrats are currently engaged in a messy primary that divides the establishment and far-left wings of their party. The drawn-out contest, which will not pick a winner until August 2026, could weaken the nominee who advances to the general election to face Rogers.

The field includes Rep. Haley Stevens, state Senate Majority Whip Mallory McMorrow, and former public health official Abdul El-Sayed, who entered the race with independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ endorsement.

Stevens, who appears to be the preferred candidate among most national Democrats and the Senate Democrats’ campaign arm, announced a $1.9 million haul for the third quarter.

McMorrow said her campaign clocked in at $1.7 million. The 39-year-old state legislator is running on a platform of generational change and has declined to back Schumer as Democratic leader.

The three candidates appear to be tacking to the left as their campaigns compete for the support of the party’s base voters.

El-Sayed sparked controversy earlier in October by sending out a fundraising email on the anniversary of Hamas’s Oct. 7th attack on Israel that did not mention the invasion.  The campaign message railed against Israel’s war in Gaza and criticized AIPAC, a pro-Israel advocacy organization that has previously contributed to Stevens’ House runs.

The Sanders-backed candidate told Politico the timing of the fundraising appeal was a mistake and issued another statement denouncing Hamas’ “heinous attack on Oct. 7” while still accusing Israel of genocide.

McMorrow also recently labeled Israel’s war in Gaza a genocide and said she would have supported two recent Senate resolutions sponsored by Sanders that would have cut off some military aid to Israel.

Though Stevens is the lone Democrat in the race to hold pro-Israel stances, the four-term House lawmaker has sought to position herself at the forefront of opposing Trump’s agenda in Congress. She has introduced legislation to limit the president’s authority to deploy National Guard troops and said in September that she was drafting articles of impeachment against Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the president’s Health and Human Services secretary.

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