In an Aug. 7, 2026, interview with Punchbowl News co-founder Jake Sherman, President Donald Trump expanded his catalog of allegedly rigged elections by insisting that former Rep. Mike Rogers actually won Michigan’s 2024 U.S. Senate contest — a race Rogers lost to Democrat Elissa Slotkin, who was then representing Michigan in the House, by approximately 19,000 ballots.
The assertion, unsupported by any evidence, arrives as Trump’s job approval has fallen to 39% and the 2026 midterm elections approach.
The Interview Exchange
Sherman challenged the president on his endorsement history, observing that Rogers had been defeated in his 2024 bid. Trump declined to concede the loss.
“I happen to think he won,” Trump said, adding: “I think it was a rigged deal. I think they rigged him out of it.”
When the journalist noted the defeat, Trump stuck to his position that the contest was rigged and maintained that Rogers was an excellent contender whose performance in surveys suggested success.
Michigan’s 2026 Senate Race Takes Shape
Rogers is mounting another campaign and will confront a different Democratic challenger this cycle. Abdul El-Sayed secured the Democratic nomination after prevailing over Michigan establishment Democrat Rep. Haley Stevens in the primaries. El-Sayed is a progressive candidate.
During the conversation, Trump said of Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed, “It’s ‘Abdul,’ but I call him ‘Abdullah,’” and contended that Rogers polls better versus El-Sayed than he did versus Stevens, seizing on the nominee’s name in what El-Sayed and critics have described as targeting his Muslim identity for political gain. El-Sayed, who has called the practice a racist dog whistle, responded: “if you can’t say the name — it’s Abdulrahman — keep the name out of your damn mouth.”
Trump declined to respond to El-Sayed’s criticisms regarding the implications of such language.
Six Years of Stolen Election Rhetoric
While Trump’s assertion about the contest lacks any evidentiary support, it aligns with behavior he has exhibited consistently over the past six years, including his persistent and baseless claims that he was the rightful winner of the 2020 presidential race.
Blaming electoral fraud instead of voter choice when Republicans lose has become a defining characteristic of how Trump operates politically, and he has consistently suggested he might seek a third presidential term in 2028 to make up for what he views as the stolen 2020 election.
Turbulent Approval Numbers
The comments emerged at a difficult juncture for Trump politically. According to Fox News’ most recent survey, his approval rating stands at just 39%, indicating increased dissatisfaction across the electorate, including among voters without college degrees from working-class backgrounds — the demographic that formed the backbone of his 2024 victory. These voters are now aligned with their more educated peers in expressing disapproval of how he is performing in office.
Responding to questions about these poor figures earlier in the week, Trump claimed he was uncertain about the cause of the decline and proposed that voter frustration was directed at the GOP generally rather than at him personally. His answer was notable for seeking to distance his own standing from that of the Republican Party during a period when both face voter discontent.
The Michigan Senate race is emerging as one of the most significant battlegrounds heading into the 2026 elections. By renewing his support for Rogers while simultaneously claiming the 2024 result was fraudulent instead of accepting it as a fair loss, Trump is demonstrating the high priority he places on winning this seat.
The success of this approach will likely hinge on whether Michigan voters respond more favorably to the president’s backing of Rogers or to the overall political climate. To secure victory, Rogers must improve his performance significantly compared to 2024, a difficult task given that his chief supporter currently has a 39% approval rating — no matter what narrative Trump offers about the previous election.
