After previously speaking in defense of President Donald Trump's war with Iran, Republican former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, who is running for Michigan's open U.S. Senate seat, now says it needs to "end quickly."
A spot aired on the social media platform X by Rogers on Monday, Sept. 21, showed Rogers and his wife Kristi shopping in a grocery store.
"Michigan families are struggling with the price of everyday life," Rogers said. "Groceries cost too much. We have to bring prices down. The war with Iran needs to end and end quickly. When it does, energy costs will plummet."
Rogers then went on to talk about his call to suspend federal and state gasoline taxes until that happens and call for an embargo on American diesel exports to keep that fuel in the country at a time when it has reached nearly $7 a gallon.
Rogers never mentioned Trump by name. But Trump, who has endorsed Rogers, has continued to defend the war and shown no signs he is ready to force an end to the conflict he began with Iran in February.
Until now, Rogers, who is running against Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed, has defended the war, arguing the U.S. is justified in taking action to keep Iran from developing nuclear weapons. As the war has continued, however, fuel prices have continued to climb — and other prices along with them — as oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have been affected.
Rogers had previously downplayed the effect of the war on prices.
Trump, meanwhile, has not only continued to defend the war but said recently he was considering escalating the conflict. As the war has continued, Trump's job approval ratings have plummeted; that combinedwith high prices have given Democrats an edge in the Nov. 3 elections, according to polling.
In Iowa, Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, who is running for the open U.S. Senate seat in that state, also said prices need to be brought down and the war brought to an end.
Polling averages have shown El-Sayed, a progressive former health director for Wayne County and Detroit, with a slight lead in the election.
On Sept. 21, El-Sayed accused Rogers of "lying straight to our faces" with the spot.
“After defending Donald Trump’s illegal war in Iran for months as a ‘win-win-win,’ Mike Rogers is only flip-flopping now because gas hit $5 a gallon and diesel prices hit record highs," El-Sayed said. “We need leaders who lead on principle, not convenience... He initially said that Trump was ‘absolutely right’ to start the war. He said just weeks ago to Michiganders that ‘We are better off today than we were when it started.’
“I’ve been consistent from day one — this war is illegal, it is devastating for Michigan families, and it has to end," El-Sayed said.
Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @tsspangler.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Mike Rogers breaks with Trump, calls for Iran war to 'end quickly'
