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‘Deep State candidate’: Rand Paul sounds off on Trump’s endorsement of Mike Rogers for US Senate

March 13, 2024 | | Print Article

Sen. Rand Paul slammed former President Donald Trump on Monday for endorsing a Senate candidate who he believes is part of the deep state.

“Donald Trump just endorsed the worst Deep State candidate this cycle,” he tweeted, referencing Trump’s endorsement of former Rep. Mike Rogers.

His post included a video that contained proof that Rogers “is a never Trumper, and a card carrying member of the spy state that seeks to destroy Trump.”

Watch:

In an additional tweet, Paul mocked Trump’s pick.

“If he’s good with Mike Rogers (R-Deep State), maybe he should pick Liz Cheney for VP?” he wrote.

The senator posted the tweets hours after Trump endorsed Rogers via a post published to his social media platform, Truth Social.

“Highly respected former Congressman Mike Rogers is running for the United States Senate from the Great State of Michigan. Mike has served his Country during a career loaded up with accolades and wins, from the Army to Congress, and now, hopefully, the U.S. Senate. Mike will work closely with me to enact our America First Policies,” he wrote.

“He will tirelessly fight to Secure the Border, Stop Inflation, Grow the Economy, Strengthen our Military / Veteran Support, and Protect and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment. Mike Rogers will be a Great and Powerful Senator for Michigan, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement. HE KNOWS HOW TO WIN!” he added.

Yet even on Truth Social, the former president faced pushback.

“Wait a minute… isn’t Mike Rogers a never Trumper?” one critic wrote.

“He is SWAMP! Michigander of 62 years here Sir! RETRACT asap! He is a snake! Only coming back into politics to undermine you. Kick his ass to the curb. We will not vote for him,” another added.

Over on X meanwhile, Sen. Paul’s tweets inspired a flood of agreement:

That said, there does seem to be an explanation for why Trump chose Rogers.

The top two other candidates Rogers is running against in the Michigan GOP primary race, former Reps. Justin Amash and Peter Meijer, both voted to impeach former President Trump.

Meijer, who left office in early 2023, voted to impeach Trump after the Jan. 6th riot. Amash, who left office in early 2021, voted to impeach him in 2019 after the Ukraine phone call fiasco.

Amash has for his part joined Sen. Paul in raising concerns about Roger’s endorsement.

Look:

In his tweet, Amash linked to a 2013 The Hill story about how Rogers had, as the former House Intelligence Committee chair, complained that an attempt to stop the National Security Agency from spying on Americans’ phone data was “dangerous.”

“What you’re doing is taking away the one tool that we know will allow us the nexus between a foreign terrorist overseas talking to someone in the United States,” Rogers had said at the time. “It has saved real lives, real folks have come home with their legs…because of this program.”

Vivek Saxena
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