Former U.S Senator from West Virginia Joe Manchin has endorsed Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers in Michigan’s U.S. Senate race, backing the GOP nominee over Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed.

“I do support Mike Rogers. I think Mike Rogers is a good person. I think he’ll do a great job,” Manchin said Monday when asked about the Michigan race.

Manchin also made clear that he does not support El-Sayed’s candidacy. The former Democrat-turned-Independent senator was asked about the Democratic nominee during an interview and indicated that he was not comfortable with El-Sayed becoming Michigan’s next senator.

Rogers, a former Michigan congressman and former FBI agent, is seeking to return to the Senate after narrowly losing the state’s 2024 Senate race. He secured the Republican nomination in August and is now facing El-Sayed in the November general election.

El-Sayed, a former Wayne County health official and former University of Michigan professor, won the Democratic nomination after defeating a competitive field that included state Sen. Mallory McMorrow and Rep. Haley Stevens. His campaign has emphasized economic issues including health care and household costs, while Republicans have sought to make his progressive positions and past political statements central issues in the race.

Manchin’s endorsement is notable because he spent decades in the Democratic Party before leaving the Senate as an independent. He frequently positioned himself as a centrist during his time in Congress and was a key vote on major legislation when Democrats controlled the Senate. Manchin's support for Rogers comes in the same day as his support of Maine Sen. Susan Collins.

Rogers responded to the endorsement on X, thanking Manchin and calling him a "true patriot".

The Michigan Senate race is one of the closely watched contests of the 2026 midterm elections. The seat is open following Democratic Sen. Gary Peters’ decision not to seek reelection, putting Rogers and El-Sayed in a contest for a Senate seat that has drawn significant national attention.