A lot of money got dropped into the race for Michigan’s U.S. Senate seat on Monday. The position is up for grabs with the retirement of incumbent Democratic Senator Gary Peters.
Republican-affiliated group, the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF) pledged $45 million to support former Congressman Mike Rogers, the frontrunner in Michigan’s Republican Senate primary. The money will support advertising for Rogers starting in early September, after the primary election is over.
In a press release, SLF said this is the most money it has ever committed to a Michigan race.
“Senate Leadership Fund’s historic investment is a testament to the strength of Mike Rogers and our commitment to flipping Michigan red in November. Mike is a trusted leader who will fight for Michigan’s working families and auto industry, and we are confident he will be the next United States Senator from Michigan,” a statement from Senate Leadership Fund Executive Director Alex Latcham said.
The announcement further solidifies Michigan’s place as a top political prize in the mid-term elections.
It’s among the few seats in swing states that could decide the balance of power in the U.S. Senate. And, of the eight states the Senate Leadership Committee is putting early money toward, only Ohio and North Carolina are getting more cash.
The Rogers campaign welcomed the support Monday.
“Supporters are betting on Michigan because they know that Mike Rogers has what it takes to win and save our state. While the Democrats … cater to their far left base, Mike Rogers is running a common sense campaign focused on affordability, jobs, and safety. This is a no-brainer,” Rogers spokesperson Alyssa Brouillet said in a statement.
Rogers still must win his August primary against a handful of Republican challengers, including former Michigan GOP co-chair Bernadette Smith and conservative activist Genevieve Peters-Scott.
But Rogers has the advantage of name recognition from having spent over a decade as a U.S. Representative, and from narrowly losing a Senate race in 2024. He also has an endorsement from President Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, the top Democratic candidates are locked in a competitive August primary election fight that could come down to the wire.
Michigan Campaign Finance Network executive director Neil Thanedar said the timing of the Senate Leadership Fund’s announcement makes it unique.
“It’s committed well before the primary’s over. So, it’s a warning shot for Democrats that a lot of money is going to be spent in this race,” Thanedar said Monday.
While Republicans are getting a head start in the race, it’s unlikely Democrats won’t eventually try to catch up.
WinSenate is a SuperPac affiliated with the Democratic Senate Majority PAC. According to the nonprofit, OpenSecrets, WinSenate put $23 million toward the 2024 Michigan Senate race.
"Republicans know they're staring down defeat this November, so it's no surprise they're showing their hand this early," Senate Majority PAC press secretary Christyna Thompson said in a statement.
In their own statement, the Michigan Democratic Party also projected confidence. Party spokesperson Joey Hannum called Rogers “out of touch.”
“Rogers’ special interest backers can try all they want to prop up his candidacy with a flood of outside cash, but Michiganders will still reject Price Hike Mike at the ballot box this November,” Hannum said in a statement.
Aside from illustrating the stakes of this year’s Michigan Senate race, the $45 million from the Senate Leadership Fund reflects broader a trend in American politics.
“The ratio of outside to inside spending is increasing, which shows that the major PAC funding sources and leadership funds are driving an increasing share of the total political spending, especially on advertising,” Thanedar said.
Neither Rogers, nor any of the other Republican and Democratic candidates for Senate, have come close to raising SLF’s $45 million this cycle. Monday’s announcement alone made up a little less than a third of total outside spending from the entire 2024 Senate race, in which Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin saw more outside support than Rogers.
Thanedar said it’s worth watching where candidates’ focus lies when outside spending makes up such a chunk of their support.
If one contribution like this can be five times as much as all total contributions from direct sources, that’s a major factor where you have to see where the influence lies,” Thanedar said.
