President Donald Trump's tariff wars are threatening to put a key swing state Republicans are hoping to contest out of reach, the conservative Wall Street Journal editorial board warned on Friday.
In Michigan, Democratic public health official Abdul El-Sayed, an avowed progressive, is taking on Congressman Mike Rogers, and polls show a close race. Trump, however, has given El-Sayed an inadvertent gift with his constant meddling in trade policy, the board argued.
"Businesses that import goods embed the tariffs into their prices, sometimes in stealthy ways," wrote the board. For example, "Cox Automotive this spring found that Mr. Trump’s tariffs drove a 10.4% increase in the average suggested retail price for new cars. Michigan Smart Trade Alliance estimates tariffs have cost the state $26 billion since January 2025, or about $6,419 per household."
Canadian imports make up a huge portion of the tax revenue, the board noted: America's northern neighbor "exports about $40 billion in goods to Michigan every year. Vehicles and parts make up roughly half of that. Because of its significant car manufacturing, Michigan depends heavily on cross-border supply chains with Canada and Mexico. Michiganders understand that."
Trump has zeroed in on Canada in recent months, massively hiking tariffs there and even threatening trade war with Europe if they move forward with a Canadian partnership.
As all of this is going on, a Republican influence in the Upper Peninsula has a dire warning that campaign volunteering for Rogers is dangerously flaccid.
"You almost have to admire the cynicism of Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed on trade," said the board. "He is punching Republican Mike Rogers for not pushing back against Mr. Trump’s Canada tariffs and for previously supporting the North American Free Trade Agreement, which phased-out tariffs on, and boosted trade with, Canada. He’s attacking Mr. Rogers as both a protectionist and a free trader." It's ultimately Trump who made that possible, wrote the board: "Republicans could pay a big political price for Mr. Trump’s tariffs in November."