State Sen. Mike Rogers announces run for Congress

State Senator Mike Rogers (R) recently announced his candidacy for the 8th Congressional District seat being vacated by pro-abortion Congresswoman Debbie Stabenow (D). Stabenow is leaving the U.S. House to challenge prolife incumbent U.S. Senator Spencer Abraham (R) in the fall.

The 8th Congressional District includes the entire counties of Ingham and Livingston, the southeast portion of Shiawassee, nearly all of Washtenaw with the exception of Ann Arbor and the southern tier of townships, the southwest quarter of Genesee county and two northwest townships in Oakland county. Previous voting profiles show the 8th to be a swing, or "toss-up" district, where either major party candidate can potentially win.

As the current Republican senator from the 26th senate district, Sen. Rogers has had a distinguished prolife record during his six years in Lansing. On the other hand, Sen. Rogers' likely opponent for the 8th Congressional District seat, state Senator Dianne Byrum (D), has an equally strong, but opposite, pro-abortion record during her tenure.

Mike Rogers is currently the Republican Majority Floor Leader in the Michigan Senate. Prior to entering the political arena, Sen. Rogers distinguished himself by serving his country in two different capacities. After graduating from Adrian College, he entered the U.S. Army as a 2nd Lieutenant, eventually serving as a Company Commander in a rapid deployment unit. Following the Army, Sen. Rogers began a career as a Special Agent with the FBI, finishing at the top of his class at the FBI Academy and being assigned to the FBI field division in Chicago where he investigated public corruption and organized crime.

Besides his vast public service experience, Sen. Rogers has a strong business background. After leaving the FBI, he co-founded E.B.I. Builders, Inc., a family-owned business in Brighton. Sen. Rogers is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Society of Former FBI Special Agents, the Rotary Club and Vice-Chair of the Cleary College Board of Trustees.

In just four years in the state Senate, Mike Rogers was elected by his colleagues to serve as Majority Floor Leader, the second highest position on the leadership team. He lives in Brighton with his wife, Diane, and their two children, Erin and Jonathon.

Sen. Rogers' expected opponent for the 8th Congressional seat is Dianne Byrum, a state senator from the 25th district. Sen. Byrum is in her 2nd term in the senate and is a graduate of Michigan State University. She and her husband, Jim, own and operate two hardware stores, one in Leslie and the other in Stockbridge. Prior to serving in the Michigan Senate, Byrum served in the Michigan House from 1991-94. Sen. Byrum lives with her husband and two children, Barbara and Jimmy.

The race for the 8th Congressional District seat will be crucial in helping to determine the fate of expected prolife legislation to come before the next Congress. In this "toss-up, swing" district, every vote will count, and the winner will likely be determined by which side can turn out his or her supporters on November 7.