‘Corporate check’: Abdul El-Sayed targets Mike Rogers over Trump
SAGINAW, MICHIGAN: Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed criticized Republican Senate rival Mike Rogers at a Saginaw town hall, saying Rogers only appears when there is a “corporate check” or President Donald Trump invites him.
El-Sayed tied the criticism to what he described as Rogers’ absence from conversations with Michigan voters and his appearance in Dallas after Trump’s invitation.
The Democratic candidate made the remarks Saturday, September 19, during a town hall in Saginaw, with 46 days left in the campaign.
El-Sayed: I am up against a guy named Mike Dodgers. He only shows up if you have a corporate check. Or if you are Donald Trump and you invite him to Dallas. You know where he is at? Florida—where he owns a home. He had his home on the market… He took it off. Even he knows we are… pic.twitter.com/836UrBmtoh
— Acyn (@Acyn) September 19, 2026
Abdul El-Sayed targets Mike Rogers over corporate money
“I'm up against a guy named Mike Dodgers,” El-Sayed said, using a mistaken name before referring to Rogers, then asked the crowd whether they had heard about him.
“He only shows up if you got a corporate check, or if you're Donald Trump and you invite him to Dallas, but if you ask him to actually have a conversation with Michiganders, gone,” he said.
El-Sayed did not provide specific details in the speech about Rogers’ corporate donors or identify which corporate checks he was referring to.
His broader argument centered on money in politics, with El-Sayed saying corporations and billionaires can buy and sell politicians in ways that he argued leave the system “rigged against us.”
He framed that argument as central to his Senate campaign, saying the system lets corporations, billionaires and special interests influence politicians.
“You shouldn't be able to buy a politician,” El-Sayed said. “Corporations aren't people. Their money is not speech.”
Trump invitation becomes part of attack
El-Sayed also singled out Trump’s invitation to Rogers to Dallas as part of his criticism of the Republican candidate.
He offered no additional details in the speech about the event or what Rogers did there.
The attack came as El-Sayed presented himself as a candidate willing to hold public events and speak directly with Michigan voters.
El-Sayed does an impression of “Mike Dodgers” pic.twitter.com/yUEhKg3dnN
— Acyn (@Acyn) September 19, 2026
He said his campaign had traveled to 110 cities and held 550 public events.
El-Sayed contrasted that activity with his description of Rogers’ availability, saying, “You know where he's at? Florida, where he owns a home.”
He then said Rogers had his home on the market, without explaining further.
Abdul El-Sayed links campaign message to broader fight
The criticism of Rogers was part of a broader campaign message focused on corporate influence, unions, monopolies, and health care.
El-Sayed said corporations have weakened unions and pledged to support the PRO Act, which he said would enable union organizing “in every sector of American life.”
He also argued that monopolies contribute to higher prices, using the meat industry as an example.
“Chances are you're buying a pound of meat brought to you by one of four meat packers,” he said, claiming the four dominate 85% of the meat industry.
El-Sayed also made health care a central part of his campaign pitch.
He cited his work eliminating up to $700 million in medical debt for 300,000 families and said medical debt should not exist.
“So guess what?” El-Sayed said. “We can abolish it and guarantee people out of it by passing Medicare for all.”
