Rogers swipes vital endorsement away from Stabenow in tight Michigan race

Former Rep. Mike Rogers , the Republican Senate nominee for Michigan , has snagged the support of AgriPac in his electoral battle against Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).

AgriPac endorsed Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) in previous election cycles.

"I'm honored and grateful to have earned the endorsement of AgriPac and the farmers across Michigan who feed our nation and power Michigan's economy," Rogers told the Washington Examiner.

"Michigan farmers are struggling mightily under the current administration with rising input costs and burdensome government regulations, and now, for the first time in American history, we are importing more food than we export," he said. "As Michigan's senator, our farmers know I'll always have their back and I'll fight to lower costs, slash needless regulations, and pass the Farm Bill so farmers can thrive and leave a lasting legacy for the next generation to succeed and feed the world."

AgriPac is the political action committee for the Michigan Farm Bureau, an organization that touts itself as "the voice of Michigan agriculture." The company caters its endorsements and stances on issues through its members. The MFB also operates as an insurance company for farmers and other residents in the state.

AgricPac Chairman Mike Fusilier said in a statement that the organization's candidate evaluation process is "second to none" and encouraged voter turnout.

“Talk to your neighbors, talk to your friends about getting out the vote for Friends of Agriculture,” Fusilier said. “And put signs out on your property — that’s one thing Farm Bureau members have most other organizations don’t, is land frontage on roads.”

Agriculture contributes $104.7 billion to Michigan's economy and is the state's second-largest industry, according to the MFB.

Rogers is in a tight Senate race with Slotkin, but Vice President Kamala Harris's inclusion in the presidential race has benefited polling for Democratic candidates. An Emerson College poll in late July showed Slotkin with a 4-point lead, but a Morning Consult poll ending Sept. 8 showed she had expanded her lead to 9 points.

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The MFB endorsed mostly Republicans this election cycle, including Rogers and former President Donald Trump, but endorsed Stabenow in the past in part due to her activism on behalf of the industry.

Stabenow served as chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee and has taken considerable interest in the Farm Bill passed every few years, which supports farmers across the country.