In response to the threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), it has become a hot topic in Western countries’ political campaigns, extending its influence even to local elections. The upcoming 2024 Michigan state’s Senate race has seen a rising prominence of tough rhetoric directed at the CCP.
Michigan is a crucial swing state in the US presidential elections, with Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow set to retire, opening the field for successor candidates in this year’s elections. The election is scheduled for November 5, 2024, with the primary set for August 6.
The race is primarily between Democratic Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin and former Republican Congressman Mike Rogers, who have emerged as the main nominees for their respective parties.
According to the New York Post, foreign policy is a rare issue in US Senate campaigns; however, this year’s Michigan Senate race has seen both candidates unusually outspoken in their criticisms of the CCP.
Republican candidate Rogers stated on his campaign website, “Beijing and the CCP wield more influence than Washington. The powers of the US President and Congress are constrained; their power on the international stage is limited by Beijing. … This means we must closely monitor investments, applications, and technologies coming from China and use government power unabatedly to protect the American people.”
Rogers, a former US Army officer and FBI special agent turned 14-year congressional veteran, including a four-year tenure as the House Intelligence Committee chairman overseeing all US intelligence agencies and activities, garnered support from former President Trump in March, giving a significant boost to his campaign.
Reported by The Hill on June 19, Chairman of the House Committee on CCP Affairs and Michigan Republican Congressman John Moolenaar endorsed Rogers, stating, “He (Rogers) has served our country, fought for Michigan, held the CCP and adversaries accountable, and delivered real results for families.”
Rogers accused Democratic candidate Slotkin of having dealings with Chinese electric vehicle battery manufacturer “Gotion High Tech,” which was named by Congress for its alleged involvement in the CCP’s forced labor program against the Uighur minority.
According to Fox News, Slotkin signed a confidentiality agreement with the company in 2023 to discuss plans for building an electric vehicle battery factory in Michigan.
In June, Rogers wrote on social media platform X that Slotkin’s “signing secret agreements, giving billions of dollars of taxpayer money to these Chinese companies, is truly outrageous.”
Meanwhile, Slotkin has focused her CCP-related messaging on the threat of Chinese electric vehicle production to the state of Michigan. In May, she introduced the Internet-Connected Vehicle National Security Review Act in the House, seeking legislation to restrict or prevent Chinese automakers from introducing internet-connected vehicles in the US.
Slotkin, a former CIA analyst and Pentagon official, stated in a release, “Allowing Chinese internet-connected vehicles into our market would provide the CCP with a valuable treasure trove of American intelligence to collect information on our military bases and critical infrastructure (such as power grids and transportation systems).”
Detroit, Michigan’s largest city, is known as the “Motor City” of the world. The state of Michigan has the highest proportion of manufacturing workers and ranks first in the automotive industry. Dealing with competition from the Chinese automotive manufacturing industry is a key theme in Slotkin’s campaign rhetoric, with her promise on the campaign website to “bring back key supply chains and manufacturing to our homeland.”
While polling shows President Biden and former President Trump neck and neck in Michigan, the latest polls indicate that Slotkin and Rogers are either tied or Slotkin holds a slight lead.