DETROIT — Republican Mike Rogers has agreed to participate in a second debate with Democratic opponent Abdul El-Sayed in their race for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat.

Both candidates have agreed to the second debate, which will be hosted by Detroit’s WXYZ-TV on the evening of Oct. 21. It will follow their first debate on Oct. 8, hosted by NBC affiliate WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids.

WOOD-TV political reporter Rick Albin will moderate the Grand Rapids debate, while WXYZ-TV Editorial Director Chuck Stokes will moderate the Detroit debate, scheduled less than two weeks before the election.

Rogers accepted WXYZ’s invitation as Detroit’s FOX 2 sought to organize a similar debate on Sept. 15. El-Sayed accepted the FOX 2 invitation, but Rogers did not respond.

Veteran journalist Roop Raj, the FOX 2 anchor who was expected to moderate that debate, wrote on X: “Now that there is a debate scheduled in Grand Rapids, shouldn’t they have another debate in Metro Detroit? We believe it’s important.”

In a statement, Rogers campaign communications director Alyssa Brouillet confirmed the WXYZ debate and criticized Raj by referencing remarks from left-wing political commentator Hasan Piker, who supported El-Sayed’s campaign.

“Mike looks forward to holding ‘Conman Abdul’s’ feet to the fire to answer to voters for his lies and extremism — and in a fair, unbiased debate,” Brouillet said. “Not one hosted by a moderator who calls Abdul ‘brilliant,’ and who Hasan Piker refers to as the ‘GOAT.’”

GOAT is an abbreviation for “greatest of all time.”

Piker praised Raj’s performance moderating a July debate between El-Sayed and U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens.

El-Sayed had previously called for five debates with Rogers before the Nov. 3 election.