Mike Rogers is the anti-LGBTQ+ extremist running for U.S. Senate in Michigan

The Michigan race for the U.S. Senate is shaping up to be one of the most competitive and closely watched contests of the 2024 election cycle. Former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, an anti-LGBTQ+ extremist, faces off against Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin in a battle for a seat that could determine the Senate’s control.

With incumbent Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow retiring, this open-seat race has attracted significant attention from both parties. Michigan has become a critical battleground, and the stakes are high.

Rogers, a former chair of the U,S. House Intelligence Committee, brings a background in intelligence and national security to the race. But, his record on LGBTQ+ issues is troubling. Throughout his 14 years in Congress, Rogers consistently opposed legislation aimed at expanding rights and protections for LGBTQ+ people.

In 2006, Rogers described being gay as a “lifestyle choice,” a statement that LGBTQ+ rights organizations have widely condemned. His legislative record further reflects his opposition to LGBTQ+ equality, including votes in 2007 against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which sought to prohibit job discrimination based on sexual orientation, and in 2010 against the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” the policy that barred out gay, lesbian, and bisexual people from serving in the military.

Rogers has also repeatedly voted against expanding federal hate crime laws to cover crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity. He has consistently opposed marriage equality, voting in favor of constitutional amendments to define marriage strictly as a union between a man and a woman. Rogers has argued that denying same-sex couples the right to marry is not discriminatory, claiming that the “right has never existed,” and he has likened same-sex marriage to polygamy.

More recently, Rogers has taken a strong stance against transgender rights, referring to transgender women as “biological men” and advocating against their participation in women’s sports and their access to facilities designated for their gender identity.

Rogers’s anti-LGBTQ+ commentary is particularly concerning for some voters, given his extensive background in intelligence. As the former chair of the House Intelligence Committee, Rogers was responsible for safeguarding the security and rights of all Americans, including those in the LGBTQ+ community.

Slotkin, a former CIA analyst and Pentagon official, has been a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights throughout her career in Congress. She has supported legislation to protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination in employment and housing and championed marriage equality.

With Michigan’s recent electoral trends favoring Democrats and Slotkin holding a substantial financial advantage — $8.7 million in cash compared to Rogers’ $2.5 million, according toPolitico — the race could hinge on key voter demographics and turnout.