Slotkin, Rogers take part in 2nd and final debate for US Senate

By: Waleed Alamleh , FOX 17 News

DETROIT — The candidates vying to represent Michigan in the U.S. Senate participated in their second and final debate Monday night.

Candidates Elissa Slotkin (D) and Mike Rogers (R) took the debate stage in Detroit, hosted by FOX 17's sister station WXYZ.

Monday nights debate on the usual assortment of topics ranging from Immigration to reproductive rights, and of course the economic state of the state.

It gave the candidates one last chance to address Michiganders on the topics hitting closest to home.

How would your economic policies help working families in Michigan?

Opening statements for the debate, helped set the table for what’s important to the families here in Michigan.

And that quite literally means putting food on the table, but how that’s done is where lines are drawn.

"We know that trillions of dollars were spent by the Biden-Harris administration," said Rogers. "It was 100% supported by my opponent and has driven up grocery prices, gas prices, energy prices, your housing prices have all gone up.”

"Number one, we got to bring supply chains home and manufacturing back home to the United States, back from China," said Slotkins. "Good paying jobs, jobs with benefits so we can afford more of what we want to buy.”

Are we investing too much into EV's and Battery Plants?

The industry on most peoples minds from West Michigan was Electric Vehicles, a big point of emphasis for the two candidates, with differing opinions.

"I'm telling you it is ruining our car industry," said Rogers. "5000 auto dealers wrote an open letter to the Biden administration and said you are killing the car business. Please stop with the EV mandates.”

Slotkins, had this to say on the matter of EV mandates.

"There is no EV mandate," said Slotkins. "I don't care what you want to drive. It does not matter to me, but I don't understand the position of my opponent who says he cares about American manufacturing but doesn't want to compete against China."

During the rebuttal period, Rogers brought up Slotkins promoting companies outside of the United States.

Does America Need Stricter Gun Laws?

The topic of the state and countries safety came into play, but on the homefront, with gun laws remaining on the forefront for parents in the state.

Especially, with gun violence being considered a public health issue by Dr. Vivek Murthy, Surgeon General for Michigan.

Michigan knows all too well about the importance of gun safety, with two mass school shootings taking place in the state over the past couple of years at Oxford high school and Michigan State University.

Making this topic one of the most important ones too Michiganders.

“We have to, as Democrats and Republicans, gun owners and non-gun owners, go after the number one killer of our children in our communities, in our schools, by suicide, by accident.” said Slotkins. "I was representing this district where we had not one, but two school shootings in my district."

For Rogers, he believes it shouldn't be about changing the gun laws we have, but the people we should be focusing on.

“We need to enforce the gun laws that we have,"" said Rogers. "We also need to deal with mental health issues that are happening in our schools. This generation of Americans is under mental duress and distress like I have never seen before.”

How do you plan to address Abortion & Reproductive Rights?

The topic of Abortion might be one of the more tense ones across the country and especially here in Michigan.

With the newest laws on abortion being passed in 2023 by Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

Federally laws are still in place from 2022 overturning of Roe V. Wade.

"I did not support overturning Roe. If codifying Roe v Wade came in front of the US Senate, I would vote for it, and I voted for Proposition three here in Michigan in 2022. For me, I am crystal clear."

For Rogers, he says changes will not be made on his end, even if he's voted in.

"The people of Michigan went to the polls and voted," said Rogers. "They voted to make abortion legal, and they put it apart of their constitution, our Constitution. So, I won't do anything when I go back to the United States Senate to undo the vote of the people."

There were many other topics the candidates got debated on during the evening.

Watch the full debate below:

Slotkin, Rogers take part in 2nd and final debate for US Senate

There are 22 days until Election Day, with this stretch being an important time as the candidates continue to campaign across the state.

Slotkin is scheduled to visit Macomb County and Rodgers making a trip too Howell in the coming days.