OP-ED: Democrats turned their backs on working families—and Michiganders won’t forget
In case you missed it… Army veteran, businessman, and Trump-endorsed candidate for U.S. Senate Mike Rogers today penned an op-ed in the Midwesterner, underscoring Democrats’ record of turning their backs on working families, including by voting for what would have been the single largest tax hike in American history.
Rogers: Democrats turned their backs on working families — and Michiganders won’t forget
July 2, 2026
Michigan is built on hard work. It’s in our blood. We’re the people who show up, put in the hours, and give it our all until the job gets done. That’s the Michigan way. But for years, it’s seemed that no matter how hard the men and women in this state work, they just can’t get ahead. They work around the clock just to keep food on their table, a roof above their heads, and light in their homes–and it’s only gotten harder and harder to do.
Why? The Democrats who’ve been in charge in this state have completely turned their backs on working families.
All you have to do is look at their record. In only seven years, Democrats cost us about 40,000 manufacturing jobs. We’re now 45th in the nation for education. We have four of the most violent cities in the country. We have the highest energy rates in the Midwest.
The list goes on.
This isn’t a national issue; this is a Michigan issue–and a clear indictment on the Democrat failures that got us here. But as if these failures weren’t enough, one year ago this week, Michigan’s two Democrat Senators voted for what would have been the single largest tax hike in American history. In fact, all three of my Democrat opponents said that they would do the same!
If Democrats had it their way, we would have taxes on overtime for over 3 million Michigan workers. We’re talking autoworkers, construction workers, and firefighters. Democrats would tax social security for 1.7 million Michigan seniors. These folks spend a lifetime investing into our state; we ought to be investing in them–not taxing the social security they survive off of.
Democrats would tax serviceworkers an average of $7,000 each on their tips. They would raise families’ monthly payments. Everywhere you look, it’s taxes, taxes, and more taxes. That’s the Democrat agenda.
I’m of the belief that you worked for that money, it should be yours to keep. They already tax you for 40 hours. They shouldn’t get you for 60. For many families, that money is the difference of whether they can pay their bills each month. If they can take a family vacation. If they can afford to buy their kids braces or get their car repaired. It’s an absolute game-changer.
Over the past months, I’ve been traveling across the state talking to voters about affordability and these very tax cuts. The benefits aren’t hypothetical. They are making real impacts on real lives.
Kristi and Samantha, who work at Frank’s diner in Zeeland, called no tax on tips “life-changing.” They said that tips are a huge part of their income and that they “basically survive on them.”
Samantha says that this savings will even help her put money away for her kid to go to college and that she can use it to fix up her house. Matt, who runs Storch Magnetics in Livonia, told me that for all these workers putting in overtime, running machines and doing maintenance on machines, “It’s important they get every penny they can.” These workers depend on it.
I spoke with the family at Green Pastures Farm on how the Working Families Tax Cut raises exemptions for the death tax. They tell me that this is monumental in helping families to pass their farms down through the generations. Barbara from Hudsonville sat down with us to say how grateful she is for the tax cuts and that they go a long way. She said this money will help her afford to take her grandkids to the zoo, to go to Frederik Meijer Gardens, or even just to take care of daily expenses.
These are the people I’m fighting for–the hard-working folks all across this state who Democrats have abandoned. Michiganders deserve better than the Left’s lies, failures, and broken promises.
They deserve a Senator who will make their lives better and more affordable. Who can walk into the Oval Office, work with the President, and deliver for our state in a way not one of these Democrats has or will. Who will work around the clock to fix everything the Democrats broke during the past 32 years of their single-party rule over our two Senate seats.
This November, change is coming. We’re going to make these tax cuts permanent, bring jobs back home, unleash American energy, save our schools, make our communities safer, and ensure wages go up while costs and taxes come down.
This is about common sense. Fighting for working families. And making sure Michigan has a U.S. Senator who has your back, not one who turns their back on you.
Continue reading at The Midwesterner here.
Learn more about Mike Rogers and his plan to Get Michigan Working Again at RogersForSenate.com.
###
