Whitmer Suggests Trump, Rogers May Be Exploiting Xenophobia in Michigan Senate Race

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer stated that President Donald Trump and Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers may be attempting to exploit "hidden xenophobia" in the upcoming midterm elections. Whitmer made the comments during an interview with MS NOW anchor Peter Alexander, who questioned whether the rhetoric used against Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed was motivated by xenophobia.

"I think that Mike Rogers and Donald Trump hope that there is, and that they're trying to cultivate that," Whitmer said in response to Alexander's question about whether the Republicans were tapping into "hidden xenophobia."

Alexander also asked Whitmer if the language used by Trump to criticize El-Sayed was "dangerous." Whitmer agreed that the language was concerning but pivoted to emphasize that the Republican focus should be on the economy, particularly the rising cost of living.

"The point is that they're talking about anything other than the cost of living, which has gone up because of the decisions that this administration has made. You ask yourself, are you better off two years ago than you are today? I doubt very many Americans could say that they are," Whitmer stated.

Trump and Rogers have both been critical of El-Sayed, with allegations surfacing regarding his family's ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. A White House Assistant Press Secretary, Olivia Wales, commented to Fox News Digital that "President Trump is calling out the radical extremists stoking division, defrauding their communities, and perpetuating violence."

Whitmer's comments come as the Michigan Senate race between El-Sayed and Rogers garners national attention, with both former President Barack Obama and President Trump making campaign appearances.

A Fox News poll indicated that voters in Michigan were split between El-Sayed and Rogers. The source material notes that Fox News Digital reached out to Whitmer's office and the El-Sayed and Rogers campaigns for comment but did not immediately receive responses.