Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers meet Thursday night for a televised Michigan Senate debate as one of the country’s most closely watched races enters its final weeks.
The debate will air live across Nexstar television stations in Michigan, including WOOD TV8, with online streaming available for viewers around the state and nationwide.
Michigan U.S. Senate Debate
Date: Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026
Candidates: Abdul El-Sayed (D) and Mike Rogers (R)
Where: WOOD-TV studios in in Grand Rapids, MI
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Broadcast: WOOD TV8 and participating Nexstar stations
Live Stream: Watch Below
Watch Live – Michigan Senate Debate
The Michigan Senate debate between Abdul El-Sayed and Mike Rogers begins at 7 p.m. ET. Watch the full event live below.
Alternate Stream Link: YouTube
The debate comes with El-Sayed holding a narrow advantage in recent polling. The current RealClearPolling average has El-Sayed at 48.1% and Rogers at 44.7%, while several recent polls have shown the race separated by only a few points.
Michigan has remained one of the most competitive states in national politics. Donald Trump carried the state narrowly in 2024, and the open Senate seat has since become one of the major contests in the battle for control of the chamber.
El-Sayed enters the debate after winning a closely watched Democratic primary, while Rogers is making another bid for the Senate after narrowly losing Michigan’s 2024 race.
The two candidates are expected to face questions on the economy, health care, abortion, immigration, Israel and foreign policy, along with other issues that have shaped the campaign.
Watch the Michigan Senate debate live in the player above beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
Follow the latest numbers on our 2026 Senate polls page and visit our 2026 Senate elections guide for more races around the country.