Mackinac Policy Conference Cancels U.S. Senate Debate After Slotkin, Rogers Decline Participation

The Mackinac Policy Conference was set to host a highly anticipated debated between the top three Democrat candidates and the top three Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate seat that will soon be vacated by Sen. Debbie Stabenow. But the Detroit Regional Chamber, which hosts the Mackinac Policy Conference, said the debate has been canceled because democratic frontrunner Elissa Slotkin and republican frontrunner Mike Rogers have declined invitations to participate. “With disappointment, the Detroit Regional Chamber regrets to inform Mackinac Policy Conference attendees and Michigan voters across the state that there will not be a U.S. Senate debate at the Conference, as previously scheduled,” the Chamber said in a statement. “This is certainly not something we expected after we initially gauged campaigns’ interest starting on April 1 and then commissioned a poll to determine participants, who were extended invitations on April 30.” The format of having all six candidates on stage for a single debate was previously done at the Policy Conference in 2018 for the gubernatorial race. “The leading candidates’ refusal to engage in this vital forum points to a deeply concerning trend. It undermines our democratic process and hampers our state’s progress. This is a clear reflection of...