DETROIT (WXYZ) — With less than two weeks until Election Day, many Michigan voters say affordability remains their top concern, from the cost of filling up their gas tanks to paying for groceries.
During Wednesday night's U.S. Senate debate, Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed addressed economic issues affecting Michigan families, including gas prices, trade, tariffs and the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
See the full story in the video below
Voters who spoke with 7 News Detroit said rising costs continue to shape how they'll vote.
“Do you like paying these gas prices? Vote, man!” said Almont voter Jerry Miller.
Miller said he wants elected leaders to focus on lowering everyday costs.
“I need these gas prices to come down. This is very important because everything costs more when you have to deliver it,” he said.
Macomb County voter Javon Hill echoed similar concerns.
“Gas prices are kind of getting out of control because of all the war and conflict that’s happening between the countries,” Hill said.
The conflict involving Iran became one of the night's biggest topics after moderators asked both candidates whether they view Iran as a threat to U.S. national security and what America's strategy should be moving forward.
Watch the full debate between Rogers & El-Sayed in the video below
Both candidates agreed Iran poses a threat, but they offered starkly different approaches.
El-Sayed pointed to diplomatic efforts during the Obama administration, arguing diplomacy had previously contained the threat and claiming the current conflict is increasing costs for American consumers.
“The consequences of this war are that you are paying nearly $5 in gas. You're paying more in groceries because of the price of diesel,” El-Sayed said.
Rogers, meanwhile, focused on the dangers of Iran developing a nuclear weapon and warned of broader consequences for the region and energy prices.
“You want to pay $8 a gallon of gas, let Iran get a nuclear weapon. You lose control of that whole region,” Rogers said.
The candidates also addressed trade and tariffs, with El-Sayed calling for a more targeted approach to protect automotive jobs and Rogers raising concerns about the impact some tariffs could have on the auto industry's cross-border supply chain with Canada.
As the debate continued, Rogers repeatedly attempted to link El-Sayed to terrorism in the Middle East, while El-Sayed frequently tied Rogers to President Donald Trump and criticized his support of Republican policies.
Despite the political attacks, voters said they want elected officials to spend more time listening to the people they represent.
“The only thing that they [politicians] pay attention to is statistics at most,” Hill said.
“Be more transparent. Let people know what you're doing behind the scenes,” Miller added.
Michigan voters can register to vote through 8 p.m. on Nov. 3. Early voting is already underway across the state.
