Rogers, Stevens lead Michigan U.S. Senate fundraising with wealthy and corporate donors

Who’s giving their money to Michigan’s U.S. Senate candidates? A mix of corporate donors, small-dollar contributors and others with big pockets – that latter of which appear to be pulling for Democratic U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens of Birmingham and Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers of White Lake.

As the new year begins, the 2026 primary season is in full swing, and the top three U.S. Senate candidates on the Democratic side of the aisle each have millions of dollars to play with as they march toward August 4, the date on which voters will choose party nominees for the November general election.

The same can be said of Republican Mike Rogers, who is also sitting on a mound of cash given to him by wealthy donors throughout 2025, giving him a steep advantage as a candidate who is already maneuvering like he’s in the general election race.

Year-end 2025 campaign finance reports aren’t due until the end of January, which will detail spending between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31 while also wrapping up the contribution and spending totals for the previous year. 

Reports that are available show that each of the three major players on the Democratic side of the race are in a tight race money wise, with Stevens having the advantage, but mostly due to campaign committee transfers she infused into her Senate bid from her congressional committee.

What’s more interesting, however, is where that money is coming from and who’s giving it.

Stevens flush with larger donor cash, some from large corporations

Stevens raised $4.72 million between April and October 2025, with $3.11 million coming from direct individual, organization and PAC contributions. The transfer from her congressional committee totaled $1.53 million.

Federal Election Commission reports show that Stevens also received $6,000 from the Blue Michigan PAC, which is supporting her campaign. Bridge Michigan reported that the group has also spent significant money on text message support for Stevens.

She spent $2.6 million up until Oct. 1, and ended the quarter with $2.6 million cash on hand, putting her in a strong spot as the candidates move into the heart of primary season.

Part of that had to do with her larger dollar donations from wealthy individuals. FEC data shows that the largest share of Stevens’ fundraising haul came from donations of $2,000 or more ($1.79 million) and donations of $1,000 to $1,999 ($751,316).

Public FEC reports also show that Stevens has amassed tens of thousands of dollars from multiple large corporations, including:

• Amazon and Blue Origin PAC, owned by Amazon chief Jeff Bezos (a combined $39,000);
• Google’s NetPAC ($11,500);
• FedEx PAC ($23,000);
• Delta Airlines PAC ($35,000);
• the Boeing Company PAC ($13,500);
• Norfolk Southern Corporation’s Good Government Fund ($1,000);
• Walmart’s PAC For Good Government ($24,000);
• DoorDash’s DashPAC ($5,900);
• The McDonald’s Corporation PAC ($3,000);
• Charter/Spectrum’s PAC ($18,000); and
• Nucor Corporation PAC ($15,000)

Each of the companies have a history of reportedly questionable labor practices and union-busting activity.

Stevens has positioned herself as a strong supporter of unions throughout her career in Congress, introducing labor-focused legislation in the House, and has racked up various endorsements from unions like the  Teamsters Local 243, UNITE Here Local 24, Pipefitters, Steamfitters, Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Service Local Union 636, and IronWorkers Local 25.

Rogers raised less than his rivals in the bulk of 2025, but with billionaire support

Not to be outdone, Rogers raised $3.41 million, but only $1.87 million of that came from direct contributions. Bridge Michigan also reported that some of his fundraising haul came from the “Team Rogers” joint fundraising committee.

Rogers’ total fundraising haul was also aided by a nearly $1.5 million transfer from other committees, including Team Rogers.

Rogers spent $966,938 in the first two quarters of 2025, and owes nearly $6,000 in debt owed to his campaign.

That leaves Rogers with $2.7 million cash on hand.

Rogers is also sitting on $5 million donated to the Great Lakes Conservative Fund super-PAC supporting his bid from Tim Dunn, a Texas oil billionaire with deep ties to the Christian Nationalist movement and a rising presence in the national GOP scene.

Pro-Rogers Super PAC funded by ardent Christian Nationalist

The Gander also reported that Team Rogers accepted a $12,000 contribution from John W. Childs, a billionaire megadonor who was charged in 2019 with soliciting prostitution in a Florida massage parlor sting.

Rogers’ only rival for the GOP nomination is former Michigan Republican Party Co-Chair Bernadette Smith, who entered the race in late November, too late for mandatory fundraising reports.   

McMorrow and El-Sayed trailing, but not far behind

McMorrow, who announced her candidacy in March 2025, raised $3.85 million through October, amassing a greater share of dollars than Stevens did in total direct contributions at $3.82 million. McMorrow also had zero transfers from previous campaign committees.

She did, however, spend $2.4 million. That leaves McMorrow with $1.45 million cash on hand, but with zero debt owed to her campaign.

Unlike Stevens, McMorrow’s largest share of contributions came from people giving $200 or less ($2.08 million), but McMorrow’s second largest share of donations came from the $2,000 or more category ($899,772).

El-Sayed has been trailing his Democratic primary rivals in fundraising, but not by much.

He raised $3.57 million up until October with $3.56 million coming from direct contributions, still more than Stevens but not as much as McMorrow. El-Sayed spent $1.72 million up until October, the least of the three candidates.

Like Stevens, El-Sayed’s largest donation category came from those giving $2,000 or more ($1.6 million), but his second largest portion of his overall contributions came from the $200 and under club ($961,749).