Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy hit the road with Republican Senate hopeful Mike Rogers in Michigan, delivering a spirited rally that mixed patriotic flair with a blunt appraisal of the political landscape. Speaking to a crowd of conservative voters, Kennedy praised Rogers’ record, slammed progressive opponents, and urged Michiganders to turn out at the polls.
## Campaign Kickoff in Michigan
Kennedy’s appearance came on the heels of a televised debate in Grand Rapids between Rogers and Democratic nominee Dr. Abdul El‑Sayed. With retiring Democrat Sen. Gary Peters vacating the seat, Rogers is positioning himself as the candidate who can flip the Senate district for the GOP.
## A Patriotic Opening
Kennedy opened with a celebration of American pride.
> “The United States of America is Star‑Spangled awesome,” he declared. “This is the greatest country in all of human history.”
He then turned to the reasons he backs Rogers, emphasizing the importance of national spirit in the upcoming election.
## Highlighting Rogers’ Experience
Pointing to Rogers’ tenure in Congress, Kennedy underscored the former lawmaker’s leadership of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He argued that this experience equips Rogers to handle the challenges of a Senate seat.
## “Mike Rogers pisses excellence”
Kennedy’s praise took a colorful turn.
> “Mike Rogers pisses excellence,” Kennedy said. “They don’t let dummies be chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. But brains are not enough. There are a lot of high‑IQ stupid people in Washington. It takes more. Mike Rogers exercises power maturely. He’s an adult. He’s thoughtful; he’s temperate. He doesn’t swing at every pitch. Mike doesn’t get caught up in the mania of the moment.”
He argued that Rogers possesses the grit needed to represent Michigan effectively.
## The “Fangs” Metaphor
Continuing with vivid language, Kennedy added:
> “Mike Rogers has fangs. If you get between Mike Rogers and what’s best for the good people of Michigan, he will devour you… He will chew you up and spit the bones on the floor. And that’s why he’s going to be a great United States senator.”
The metaphor was meant to convey Rogers’ tenacity and protective stance toward his constituents.
## Targeting Progressive Figures
Kennedy didn’t spare the Democratic side, calling out El‑Sayed, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez as emblematic of a progressive agenda he views as out of touch with Michigan voters.
## A Personal Reflection on Hate
> “When I say my prayers at night, and often during the day, one of the things I always say to God: don’t let me hate,” Kennedy explained. “There are days when I walk over to the Capitol from my overpriced Capitol Hill apartment, I give myself a pep talk. I was like, ‘Kennedy, today you’re going to follow Jesus.’ By 10 o’clock, I still want to follow Jesus, but I want to slap the hell out of somebody. But you can’t hate, folks, and I don’t hate.”
He used the anecdote to stress a moral high ground while acknowledging the emotional intensity of campaigning.
## Critiquing Progressive Policies
Kennedy argued that progressive policies on criminal justice, immigration, and social issues ignore the values of Michigan’s electorate. He warned that voters do not deserve leaders who disparage historical icons or obsess over pronoun usage:
> “The good people of Michigan and the good people of America do not deserve to be governed by people who hate George Washington and Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt and Dr. Seuss and Mr. Potato Head. The people of Michigan don’t deserve to be governed by people who hyperventilate on their yoga mats if you use the wrong pronouns… And the people of Michigan, most of all, don’t deserve to be governed by people who think they’re smarter and more virtuous than you are.”
## Call to Voter Participation
Closing his remarks, Kennedy urged the audience to boost turnout in their neighborhoods.
> “The water in Washington, D.C. is not going to clear up until you get the pigs out of the creek,” he warned, adding a cheeky reminder that even the most reluctant voters have a role: “If dead people can vote, so can you.”
His message blended humor with a serious push for civic engagement.
## Conclusion
Sen. John Kennedy’s Michigan rally painted Mike Rogers as a seasoned, principled defender of conservative values, while casting progressive opponents as out of sync with everyday voters. By weaving patriotic rhetoric, vivid metaphors, and a personal appeal against hatred, Kennedy aimed to energize the base and drive higher voter participation ahead of the critical Senate race.
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