Michigan Senate Candidate Mike Rogers Faces Residency Scrutiny Amid Campaigning in Florida
A familiar concern is rearing its head for Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers as he resumes campaign activity from his Cape Coral home in Florida, prompting accusations that he's more of a Floridian than a Michigander.
Rogers, a former FBI agent and congressman, launched his Senate bid in April 2025 after narrowly losing the previous year's election to Democrat Elissa Slotkin. This year's contest is expected to be one of the country's most closely watched, with Democratic Senator Gary Peters retiring and Michigan poised to remain a battleground state.
On the Republican side, Rogers faces competition from Bernadette Smith, who entered the race in November. However, as campaign finance reports reveal, Rogers has amassed approximately $3.4 million through October, with roughly $2.7 million cash on hand. Additionally, a super PAC backing his run has received $5 million from Texas oil billionaire Tim Dunn.
The spotlight is now back on Rogers' long-standing ties to Florida, which have fueled accusations of "carpetbaggering" in the past. His recent remarks on a right-wing radio show that he'd rather be "on the beach in Florida" during Michigan's winter storm only added fuel to the fire. Furthermore, his campaign property listing was removed from the market on November 22, with the listing still marked as "removed" as of January 26.
Critics are now questioning Rogers' residency status, given his extended stays in Florida and the fact that he lists himself as a Michigan resident despite spending more time abroad. This scrutiny has led to a concerted effort by Democrats and outside groups to portray Rogers as an out-of-touch candidate with ties to wealthy interests rather than being a representative of working families.
In response, Rogers' campaign manager Alyssa Brouillet claimed that Rogers is a "born-and-raised Michigander" who has spent his entire life in the state. However, this assertion seems at odds with Rogers' own history of building a life elsewhere and now seeking to represent Michigan.
As the campaign heats up, questions about Rogers' residency status are likely to remain a point of contention, with some critics accusing him of hypocrisy and others labeling him as a "carpetbagger." With Democrats vying for the seat, including U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, and public health expert Abdul El-Sayed, the stage is set for a closely contested and highly watched election.
A familiar concern is rearing its head for Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers as he resumes campaign activity from his Cape Coral home in Florida, prompting accusations that he's more of a Floridian than a Michigander.
Rogers, a former FBI agent and congressman, launched his Senate bid in April 2025 after narrowly losing the previous year's election to Democrat Elissa Slotkin. This year's contest is expected to be one of the country's most closely watched, with Democratic Senator Gary Peters retiring and Michigan poised to remain a battleground state.
On the Republican side, Rogers faces competition from Bernadette Smith, who entered the race in November. However, as campaign finance reports reveal, Rogers has amassed approximately $3.4 million through October, with roughly $2.7 million cash on hand. Additionally, a super PAC backing his run has received $5 million from Texas oil billionaire Tim Dunn.
The spotlight is now back on Rogers' long-standing ties to Florida, which have fueled accusations of "carpetbaggering" in the past. His recent remarks on a right-wing radio show that he'd rather be "on the beach in Florida" during Michigan's winter storm only added fuel to the fire. Furthermore, his campaign property listing was removed from the market on November 22, with the listing still marked as "removed" as of January 26.
Critics are now questioning Rogers' residency status, given his extended stays in Florida and the fact that he lists himself as a Michigan resident despite spending more time abroad. This scrutiny has led to a concerted effort by Democrats and outside groups to portray Rogers as an out-of-touch candidate with ties to wealthy interests rather than being a representative of working families.
In response, Rogers' campaign manager Alyssa Brouillet claimed that Rogers is a "born-and-raised Michigander" who has spent his entire life in the state. However, this assertion seems at odds with Rogers' own history of building a life elsewhere and now seeking to represent Michigan.
As the campaign heats up, questions about Rogers' residency status are likely to remain a point of contention, with some critics accusing him of hypocrisy and others labeling him as a "carpetbagger." With Democrats vying for the seat, including U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, and public health expert Abdul El-Sayed, the stage is set for a closely contested and highly watched election.
I'm kinda surprised by this whole residency thing. Like, Mike Rogers is basically a Floridian at heart, but he's trying to pass himself off as a Michigander? 
It just seems like an odd move, especially considering his campaign property listing was removed from the market. I mean, I get it, campaigns are all about spin and image control, but can't they just be honest for once? 
Maybe Rogers' team should focus on what he actually cares about – Michigan's issues, not just his own personal brand. 
! Rogers' residency status is definitely a red flag... I mean, if he's basically spending more time in Florida than Michigan, does that really make him a "born-and-raised" Michigander? 
his campaign manager trying to spin it like that just makes it worse. and $3.4 million from Tim Dunn? that's some serious outside money influencing the election 
I'm not sure what's more disturbing - the fact that Rogers is being scrutinized for his residency or that he's got deep pockets backing him up 
. I don’t know about you guys, but I think this whole thing is gonna be a real headache for Rogers' campaign...
so like mike rogers has this huge fundraising game going on with tim dunns 5 million bucks and hes trying to convince ppl he's all about michigan but his florida ties are just too much lol 
im not saying he's definitely a carpetbagger or anything, but its hard to shake off that vibe. does anyone else think its weird how rogers is basically using the same campaign property listing from before? anyway, i got more faith in the democrats running this time around - they seem like they're really listening to michigan voters and trying to do better for the state 
. And what's with all this "carpetbaggering" business? Can't we just focus on who's best for Michigan? 
he's basically been living in florida for years but suddenly wants to be all about michigan politics? it's suspicious, tbh 
i don't know about this guy...