Michigan Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed faced off in what was a largely on-topic debate with limited interruptions, covering key issues including the economy, trade, tariffs, gas prices and conflict in the Middle East.
The debate, held inside the 7 News Detroit studios, comes with less than two weeks until Election Day.
Both candidates addressed President Trump's use of tariffs and the impact on Michigan's auto industry.
"I think we need to use tariffs specifically around how we can protect certain automotive opportunities, the opportunities for growth and jobs that we actually need rather than this haphazard approach which he (Rogers) has backed just like he backed NAFTA," El-Sayed said.
Rogers acknowledged some concerns about the administration's approach.
"I have stepped back and said maybe these Canadian tariffs were not well thought through, mainly because of the interaction between our automobile companies in Canada when it comes just in time manufacturing," Rogers said.
Both candidates also discussed lowering costs and improving the auto industry before turning to the question of Iran and U.S. national security.
"There's no doubt that Iran has posed a threat, but here's the problem with it though, is that that threat had been contained back during the Obama administration when he used diplomacy and not war to contain the threat," El-Sayed said.
Rogers pushed back sharply.
"My opponent can't even condemn the IRGC, which is the terrorist enforcement arm of Iran and doesn't believe Iran is any more dangerous than Israel. This is an absolute nonstarter if you're gonna send somebody back to the United States Senate," Rogers said.
Rogers repeatedly attempted to tie El-Sayed to terrorist organizations in the Middle East, which led to the most contentious moment in the debate.
"So being bought off by the Muslim brotherhood, having donors to his campaign from Hamas that support Hezbollah, is not a problem? If you are going to go to the United States Senate, we need to know, are you for America? Or are you for these terrorist groups overseas?" Rogers said.
El-Sayed pushed back forcefully.
"He keeps raising this question about this association with an organization I've never been a part of, because my Mom who is a nurse in Missouri? It doesn't make any sense and it's actually really quite beneath you Mike. It's really quite beneath you. To call into question my loyalty to the constitution," El-Sayed said.
El-Sayed repeatedly tied Rogers to President Trump throughout the debate, accusing him of backing policies that led to rising costs and urging viewers to play a game he called "MAGA Bingo."
"You know we got a real history of Republican Senators standing up to Donald Trump right now. I don't see it happening. So he's gonna talk a good game like he usually does, but he's going to bend to Donald Trump because he's a sock puppet for the man," El-Sayed said.
"He wants to make this about Donald Trump?" Rogers responded. "The bingo game ought a be how many times can he put the word 'Trump' in any answer that he has given in the last 30 minutes," Rogers said.
This was the final debate between the two candidates before Election Day.
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