Former Representative Mike Rogers, a Republican candidate for the Michigan U.S. Senate seat and a supporter of Donald Trump, highlighted the financial difficulties faced by many Americans. In a recent social media video, he stressed the urgent need to end the war with Iran and advocated for an embargo on diesel exports until the conflict concludes.
“Families in Michigan are really feeling the pinch. The cost of groceries is just too high. We must find a way to lower prices. The war with Iran needs to wrap up quickly. When it does, we should see energy costs drop. But, frankly, we can’t wait for that to happen,” Rogers stated in the video.
He previously called for a suspension of both state and federal gas taxes, which together amount to 70 cents per gallon. In Michigan, the motor fuel tax stands at 52.4 cents per gallon.
On the federal level, there are excise taxes of 18.3 cents per gallon for gasoline and 24.3 cents for diesel, as well as a small fee related to leaking underground storage tanks.
Rogers has urged for an export ban on diesel, highlighting its crucial role in transporting food and other goods: “Diesel fuels the trucks that bring groceries to this store. It fuels the tractors that grow our food. When diesel prices rise, so do costs at every step—from growing to shipping to buying.” He called for this embargo until the war has ended.
Trump has shown his support for Rogers, sharing an endorsement in a video on social media, claiming that Rogers “will never let you down” as Michigan’s next U.S. Senator.
The current average price for diesel has reached a record high of $6.5276 as of September 22.
Rogers is competing against Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed. In reaction to Rogers’ statements, El-Sayed criticized him on social media, accusing him of consistently backing the war in Iran. Former Republican Representative Justin Amash also chimed in, suggesting that Rogers’ call for an end to the war indicates he’s losing in the campaign.
Interestingly, Rogers lost to Elissa Slotkin in the 2024 U.S. Senate general election. The election dynamics definitely seem to be shifting, and the debates on these issues are becoming more intense.
