Farmers in Michigan are now a potential game-changer in a key Senate battleground race in Michigan, as former Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., earned the coveted endorsement of AgriPac, the Michigan Farm Bureau's nonpartisan political action committee this week.
"I'm honored and grateful to have earned the endorsement of AgriPac and the farmers across Michigan who feed our nation and power Michigan's economy," Rogers wrote in a statement, which is considered a blow for the Senate campaign of Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich.
"Michigan farmers are struggling mightily under the current administration with rising input costs and burdensome government regulations, and now for the first time in American history we are importing more food than we export.
"As Michigan's senator, our farmers know I'll always have their back and I'll fight to lower costs, slash needless regulations, and pass the Farm Bill so farmers can thrive and leave a lasting legacy for the next generation to succeed and feed the world."
Rogers noted in a televised interview that this is the first time since 2006 that AgriPac has endorsed a Republican candidate for this Senate seat.
"This is a significant endorsement for us," Rogers said.
"It's 45,000 family farmers, a million workers in the Ag business in Michigan, second most important industry in our state, so this was huge."
Rogers is running against Slotkin to assume the Senate seat of outgoing Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., who had the AgriPac endorsement in her 2012 and 2018 campaigns.
"Pretty damn significant," Michigan Republican strategist Jason Roe told Fox News. "Slotkin serves on the House Agriculture Committee and her patron, Debbie Stabenow, is chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee. I imagine they are both pretty p*ssed about that decision."
The Senate is narrowly in Democrat control and the race for this Senate seat is considered a potential flip for Republicans this November. The Cook Political Report calls the race a "toss-up," despite RealClear Politics polling average giving Slotkin a 5.1-point lead as well as all the recent polls giving her the lead outside margins of error.
"That was very disappointing," Stabenow told Fox News of the Democrats' endorsement loss.
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Gary Peters, D-Mich., downplayed the importance at Tuesday's Christian Science Monitor Breakfast, according to the report.
"The Farm Bureau always endorses — they always endorse the Republican," Peters said. "The only exception has been Debbie Stabenow because she's chair of [the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry]."
"She's the only one. Otherwise, basically, they're an extension of the Republican Party."
Rogers shot back at the spin, noting AgriPac has backed 14 Democrats in Michigan in this election alone, according to the report.
"You just insulted the second-largest industry in the state," Rogers told Fox News about Peters' statement. "They have a very thoughtful process, and it tells me he hasn't visited very many farms recently.
"I think their conclusion to endorse us sends a very clear message, not just to the [agriculture] community but the rest of the business community in Michigan," Rogers added.