‘Buff Mike’ Comic Strip Given To City Pulse Instead Of Op-Ed

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 09/30/2026) If a picture is worth 1,000 words, as the cliché goes, what does U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers’ AI-generated comic-like strip showing him as “Buff Mike” say?

The piece was submitted to the Lansing City Pulse, which had invited Rogers and his opponent, Abdul El-Sayed, to contribute op-eds. Rogers was allowed to submit an AI-generated comic instead.”

“This piece illustrates that there are working families behind each of the 200,000 manufacturing jobs Democrats cost us — and our autoworkers deserve (to be) protected,” said Alyssa Brouillet, Rogers’ campaign communications director. "Unlike Abdul, Mike has actually worked on a factory floor, and he will never stop fighting to save Michigan manufacturing."

The AI cartoon shows a muscled-up Rogers, with panels saying Democrats are “threatening to drive Michigan’s auto industry into the ground” and calling El-Sayed a “conman.”

El-Sayed called Rogers’ submission “nonsensical AI slop,” contrasting it with his own “thoughtful piece” for the City Pulse, recounting a young boy’s question at a recent Grand Rapids town hall. El-Sayed’s piece described his response, his desire to make the world better for his daughters and his campaign to lower costs for Michiganders and take on President Donald Trump.

Rogers Gets Backing Of Democratic Saginaw Sheriff

Democratic Saginaw County Sheriff Bill Federspiel announced today that he's endorsing Rogers for U.S. Senate. Rogers also received the endorsement of Midland County Sheriff Scott Holzinger.