- Questions surrounding Mike Rogers’ ties to Michigan have re-emerged as he launches a new bid for the U.S. Senate.
- Political opponents have labeled him a “Florida man,” highlighting a residential property he owns in Coral Gables and Cape Coral.
- A native of Livingston County who formerly represented the area in Congress, Rogers currently resides in White Lake, Michigan.
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers is once again facing criticism over his past ties to Florida, with political rivals attempting to paint him as disconnected from Michigan voters.
Rogers, a former U.S. Representative from Livingston County, is running against former Detroit Health Director Abdul El-Sayed to fill the seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Senator Gary Peters.
Immediately following his primary victory, El-Sayed leaned heavily into the “Florida man” narrative, accusing Rogers of abandoning Michigan after his retirement from Capitol Hill.
“As soon as he left Congress… he went and he cashed out,” El-Sayed told supporters on August 5. “Not in Michigan. No, winters are too cold for him… He went to Florida.”
While Rogers currently lives in Michigan, these residency questions are a continuation of debates from his 2024 campaign against Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin.
Examining the validity of these residency claims provides a clearer picture of the facts behind the political rhetoric in this high-stakes race.
The Claims
Democratic critics argue that Rogers relocated to Florida after leaving Washington and only moved back to Michigan to position himself for another run at federal office.
Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel Jr. echoed this sentiment, stating that Rogers left the constituents he once represented before deciding to return for the Senate seat.
El-Sayed continued this line of attack on social media, using Rogers’ continued ownership of a Florida home to question his scheduling and commitment to local debates.
In response, the Rogers campaign pushed back by turning the focus onto El-Sayed’s financial disclosures, with a spokesperson pointing to a rental property in Dubai and suggesting El-Sayed’s interests lie elsewhere.
The Facts
Public and property records offer a timeline of Rogers’ housing history:
- Rogers represented Michigan’s 8th congressional district from 2001 to 2014 before selling his home in Howell. Following his congressional tenure, he acquired properties in Maryland and Virginia.
- In 2022, Rogers and his wife purchased a home in Cape Coral, Florida, for approximately $1.6 million, briefly claiming a property tax exemption there the following year. That home has been listed for sale with recent upgrades.
- Property records confirm that Rogers and his wife currently own a home in White Lake Township, Oakland County, where they receive a principal residence exemption under Michigan law.
- While he previously maintained a voter registration in Florida during his 2024 campaign preparations, records show that his Florida registration has been canceled, and his Michigan registration in White Lake Township is fully active.
The Bottom Line
The timeline shows that Rogers did spend time out of state and purchased property in Florida following his time in Congress. However, he currently maintains his primary residence in Michigan and meets all legal requirements to appear on the ballot.
Ultimately, it remains up to the voters to decide whether his time spent living in Florida is a deciding factor in the upcoming election.