Ted Goodman, MiGOP communications director, talks about Haley Stevens endorsement of Mike Rogers

I'm your host, Ronia Shimona, breaking down this big political announcement today from Congresswoman Haley Stevens, a Democrat who has decided she will endorse, has endorsed Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers. The big announcement came down just a few hours ago. Now in the meantime. It's time to hear from the Republican Party and what they are thinking about this big surprise bombshell. We have Ted Goodman joining us, communications director for the Michigan Republican Party. Ted, thanks for joining us in the studio. We appreciate you. Rania, thank you. Yes. So we have so much to break down here because this announcement, obviously making national headlines. What's your first reaction? Well, first reaction is, you know, Congresswoman Stevens is truly courageous. What a brave decision. It truly shows that she is putting country, her community, and people before politics. And before power, really, right? The Congresswoman, the decision she's made, you know, and I know we're calling it a bombshell. I don't look at it as a bombshell. With the way that Abdullah El-Sayed has treated her, shame on him. And that's just another example of why Abdullah's just unfit to lead. The way he's talking about this congresswoman who, if you're a Democrat, right, you've known her now for, she's been there, what, four terms? And for the way that he's totally dismissed her, saying he doesn't want, look, his language, it's so divisive, right? He claims and Democrats, some of these leaders of the Democrat Party claim to be the party of unity. What he's done these last few days has shown nothing but divisiveness, telling her, I don't want you around. uh It just reeks of misogyny. And so the way he's speaking to a sitting member of Congress, someone despite my political differences, I can. She's a strong woman. This is a strong woman and for him the way he's talking, talking to her, you. talking down to her and dismissing her, it's absolutely disgusting and just another example of why this man is unfit to lead. Talk to me about when you guys found this information out, that here's a Democrat who is endorsing Mike Rogers, but has still decided she's still going to remain a Democrat, a proud Democrat, and vote Democrat all down the ballot. So what are your thoughts there? Is that fine? I mean, it's not surprising at all. Again, when you look at Abdul El-Sayed, his past rhetoric. His past associations, it's disqualifying to serve in the U.S. Senate here in the state of Michigan. Uh, And this is an attack on his faith, right? He likes to play victim all the time, right, as if we're attacking his faith. This isn't an attack on his faith. It's an attack on the ideology that he himself has defended and supported. This is a person who defended the Muslim Brotherhood in past writings. And we bring that up. By the way, the Muslim Brotherhood is banned in five Muslim countries. This is an attack on Islam. This is an attack on a man who has failed to properly condemn Hassan Piker. A man who literally said word for word that America deserved 9/11. You know how insulting that is to so many people in this state? Michiganders, whether you knew someone or not on that day, 3,000 innocent Americans dead. And for Abdul to campaign day in and day out during the primary with the man who said America deserved 9/11? How about Temple Israel, the attack on Temple Israel? What was Abdul's initial response? Hurt people hurt people. Look, when a person targets innocent children, Jewish or not, right, there's one response to that, right? Total condemnation. The fact that Abdul even has to explain it is a problem. So he's proven time and time again that he does, in fact, pose a clear and present danger to Michiganders. So Haley Stevens endorsing Mike Rogers, it's not partisan, right? This isn't about Republican or Democrat. We're how many hours away from election day? And a person with Abdul's background, rhetoric, associations, is this close to being a U.S. senator? You know. Two days remaining, election day is almost here, for anyone, and this is kind of just moving away from what the announcement today and the endorsement, there's a big impact on voters and Michigan and realistically, a lot of people are still undecided. With that being said, as a communications director with the Republican Party, what can How can you reassure voters, undecided voters especially, When they need to go out and vote for this Republican Party. Uh, so the question is why, why should they, why, what can they expect? Oh, what can they expect? Right. Well, John James is a proven leader. This is a man who, uh, served his country in combat, right. As an Apache helicopter pilot. So he's demonstrated leadership time and time again throughout his life. He's a job creator with his family business in the Detroit area. Right. Um, and of course, as a public servant, a popular Congressman, who's done a lot, brought a lot of money and resources back to his district so the voters can expect common sense leadership and proven leadership. Of course Mike Rogers served in Congress and he's going to be someone who represents all Michiganders and he's someone and that's what you're seeing that's why you're seeing this Democrats for Mike Rogers effort has been so successful right you're seeing all these crossovers it's not just the Jewish community it's the black community. Indian Americans are coming over for Mike Rogers. So these different groups of people, we all share the state as Michiganders, are coming and coalescing around Mike Rogers for U.S. Senate because they see someone who has led before. He comes off as a really common sense man, somebody who truly cares. I mean, look, this bus tour he's been doing now for a few weeks. He's literally traveling the state by a bus, meeting with voters. Abdul's, you know. Having to beg former President Obama to come in, right? Because he can't win on his own. And he's having so many problems in places like Detroit. And so he's got to bring in, he's got to try and, you know, ride the coattails of someone like President Barack Obama, who is a Democrat. But I understand how popular he is in a place like Detroit, right? Abdul's got to get him out here. Kamala Harris, every big-name Democrat politician, he can. Because he knows he can't win on his own record or lack of record. And he's got all these questions that remain about his associations with the Muslim Brotherhood. Unanswered questions about why he felt he needed to campaign so closely with Hassan Piker. Again, a man who said America deserved 9-11. Why he still hasn't totally condemned the Temple Israel terrorist attack. Let's remember what happened there. And that was right here in Michigan, our backyard. A gentleman targeted a school of children, right, children, obviously Jewish, that's about as bad as it gets, and Abdul's unable to condemn it right away? Again, just that on its face raises a troubling question, right? I mean, if you hear about something like that, there's only one response to that. And it doesn't matter what, how, you can't justify that. It doesn't matter what's happened to you or your family or what, right? You don't target innocent children. And that's, it's, it's. Ted, I want to talk to you, too, about Republican priorities. Economy and affordability have been a hot topic here, and really nationwide. A lot of families are still struggling, whether it's gas prices or grocery prices. Even the cost of living has gone up astronomically. What specific changes would you say Republicans would be able to make if this, if Tuesday? Mike Rogers and the Republican Party is elected. Well, look, I think it's important that the Republicans hold on to the U.S. Senate, right, for example, and of course the House. But really what you want to see is a Senate controlled by Republicans because it'll ensure that some of these pro-economic growth policies are implemented, right? Whether you're Republican or Democrat, if the Democrats take over, all they're going to be focused on is going after Trump. And they're not going to be focused on delivering for the American people. They're going to be so focused on taking down President Trump, something they've been obsessed with ever since he won back in 2016. And so I think voters should consider voting Republican, even some of these Democrats and independents. Obviously, that's who we really want to convince here to vote Republican because Republicans are coming at this thing with some common sense solutions. Thank We tend to be a little bit more realistic than some of our Democrat counterparts. And in this case, we can be very specific. You have Jocelyn Benson. you I mean, I heard her the other day talk about we need to do this or we need to do that when it comes to education in Detroit. very You've been in statewide public office for eight years, right? You've been running for office since. Didn't she run for something in like 2010? much. I mean, she's been running for office or in office for decades, okay? And what has she done? So this is a career politician, right? And you have someone like John James, John James who's been in office for, what, two terms in Congress, has already delivered results, served his country in combat as a helicopter pilot, created jobs with his family business in Detroit. And so you can really contrast the two, whether it's a gubernatorial race or the Senate race, which we've talked about, and we can talk about, you know, I want the voters to really look at this attorney general race, right? You have Doug Lloyd, a successful prosecutor against the Democrat nominee, Mr. Savitt, soft on crime Savitt, right? This guy brags about, what does he call it, D... It's not decarceration. This guy, I mean, look this up. He's out there bragging about policies that emptied out the jail, right? It's absurd. He's bragged about the fact that he was able to win his election without being tough on crime. You want to be the prosecutor of a major county, and now you want to be the attorney general? You need someone who's going to be tough on crime. We better have someone who's going to take that serious, right? And of course, our Secretary of State race, Anthony Forlini, a successful. How confident are you the Republicans' party will take over? How confident am I? Yeah. I think race by race, we have a really good shot. Of course, we're facing natural headwinds, right? The party in the White House, I mean, we can go back decades, often does not perform as well that next, that first midterm cycle, right? So Republicans win in 2024 at the White House. We're not supposed to do as well in 26, and this goes back. Decades, I mean, right? And so, considering all the headwinds we face, and not you guys, but some in the media, they don't give President Trump a fair shot. I think a lot of people would agree, wherever you stand politically, and I'm not referring to Fox 2, but some of the national media and that, they don't cover President Trump in a fair way. So there's natural disadvantages for Republicans in that respect, right? You look at some of the print journalism, not going to name names, but it's just not fair. They're not fair towards Republicans. There are these built-in disadvantages. Considering all of that, I think we have a really good shot, because at the end of the day, you're voting for a person, right? Everyone talks about the generic ballot. Democrats are up eight on the generic ballot. At the end of the day, elections come down to people. You're voting for names. And John James versus Jocelyn Benson is a no-brainer, as we're seeing with independents and Democrats. Mike Rogers versus Abdul El-Sayed, no-brainer. I want folks to consider some of these down-ballot races, right? Yeah, there's a lot. There's a lot happening. Mm-hmm. Certainly a lot of races that are taking over all the, you know, Michigan's a hotspot. So we'll see what happens. In the meantime, Ted, it's good to have you join us today. And we, you know, we tried to bring both parties. And you did that. And we did. And we did. And you did that. But I have to say this. It's really a shame how some of these Democrat Party leaders are treating Congresswoman Stevens tonight. It's a shame. Politics aside, politics aside, it's disgusting. How would you feel if you had a Republican jump ship on one? Republicans jump ship? I don't want to call it jumping ship. Republicans disagree with each other and buck the National Party all the time. And what we don't do, we criticize, but we don't go where they've gone with Steve. They're like kicking her out. The way that El Sayed is talking about her is so degrading and unbecoming. And a real man doesn't talk. Uh, to an accomplished woman. And then Paul, right. She's a Democrat, but she's an accomplished woman. And the way he talks to her shows. But he's got a misogynistic side. There's a lot to unfold and break down here. But, Ted, we appreciate you, too, for coming into the studio and joining us. You have a great studio. It's a busy newsroom. I didn't realize this place had how many monitors and screens you have in here. We have so many monitors and screens. Normally, this is a busy newsroom, but it is a Sunday at 9.30. Well, what time is it now? The Lions won? Yeah, the Lions won. Okay. With a few injuries, but hopefully everybody's good. Ted, thank you so much for joining us. We appreciate you. Thanks for having me. Of course, my pleasure.