Former U.S. representative from Michigan and current Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers encouraged voters to “get fired up” in an address at the Republican National Convention Tuesday night.
During an hour of various current and prospective senators’ speeches, Rogers spoke about rising grocery costs, electric vehicles and border policies.
Rogers, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 14 years, once considered running against Trump. In Nov. 2022, he told The Washington Post “Trump’s time is done,” but backed Trump’s policies in his speech Tuesday.
Rogers will vie for the Republican nomination in Michigan in August, and focused his remarks on economic competition with China and on combatting inflation.
“The most expensive vehicle to operate in Michigan in 2024 is your grocery cart,” Rogers said.
Rogers went on to accuse Biden of “trying to force” citizens to buy electric vehicles, saying mandates on electric vehicles will destroy American jobs, requiring “40% less labor” than gas-powered vehicles.
Rogers also said it was impossible to build an electric vehicle without “getting into bed with the Communist Party of China,” referring to minerals from China needed to construct the vehicles.
He finished off his speech by asking the crowd, “Does anyone really believe that another four years of Biden, Harris and a Democrat Senate will make us safer or more prosperous? I certainly don’t.”
Before walking off the stage, Rogers encouraged the audience to vote for Trump, saying, “this is the election to do your work.”