Republican candidate Mike Rogers is defending his decision not to attend a televised event with his Democratic opponent, Abdul El-Sayed, in Michigan’s U.S. Senate race. Rogers told CBS News Detroit that he never agreed to participate in the Sept. 15 event, which was hosted by FOX 2 Detroit. He called the event a town hall rather than a debate and accused the station of favoritism, claiming the moderator had already taken a side. Rogers’ campaign said it was never invited to the event and criticized the station for not offering a proper format for both candidates to participate. FOX 2 Detroit stated it invited both Rogers and El-Sayed on August 5, and El-Sayed accepted the following day. The event, which took place on Tuesday, featured only El-Sayed, who said Rogers was avoiding a direct confrontation over his political record and his support for former President Donald Trump. El-Sayed criticized Rogers for declining to address issues like tariffs with Canada or the cost of war, and for attending a Republican convention in Dallas while turning down the Detroit event. Rogers rejected claims that he had broken any commitment, saying the event was never scheduled on his calendar. He also objected to the station’s plan to leave a podium open for him, calling it “highly unprofessional.” Rogers said voters would still have the opportunity to see both candidates side by side during two scheduled debates on October 8 and October 21. El-Sayed had previously pushed for more debates, even challenging Rogers to five on August 5, the day CBS News projected he had won the Democratic primary. The Senate race between Rogers and El-Sayed is one of the most closely watched in the country, with the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics rating it as a toss-up. The seat, left open by retiring Democratic Senator Gary Peters, is considered a must-win for control of the Senate. Both candidates are currently campaigning actively, with El-Sayed meeting with Democratic senators at the U.S. Capitol this week, while Rogers spoke at a rally in Detroit.