EXCLUSIVE — Former Rep. Mike Rogers raised $1 million in the final quarter of 2023 as he eyes a return to Congress as the next U.S. senator from Michigan.

Rogers, a seven-term congressman who retired from the House in 2015, became the first high-profile Republican to run for the seat of retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) in September.

He quickly raised over $824,000 in the campaign’s first three weeks and earned the backing of national Republicans including Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

The fourth quarter haul, shared with the Washington Examiner ahead of the Wednesday filing deadline, brings his total raised in 2023 to just shy of $2 million.

Rogers faces a crowded primary field. Former Detroit police chief James Craig announced a run in October, followed by ex-Congressman Peter Meijer’s announcement in November. But Rogers, the former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, has attempted to cultivate an air of early momentum in the race.

He became the first candidate to collect the signatures needed to appear on the ballot, according to his campaign, and touts endorsements from members of Senate leadership, including Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV).

“Law enforcement officials, small business owners, and conservative leaders are coalescing around Mike Rogers because he is the clear choice to be Michigan’s next senator,” said communications director Chris Gustafson. “Thanks to another strong fundraising haul, the Rogers campaign continues to be the only campaign gathering the resources and building the infrastructure to defeat the Democrats in November.”

Rogers will be able to count on outside help as he runs for Senate. Great Lakes Conservatives Fund, a super PAC supporting his campaign, placed a seven-figure ad buy for the ex-congressman earlier this month.

The Daines endorsement also signals institutional support for Rogers’s candidacy.

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Michigan falls outside the top tier of states for national Republicans. Races in Montana and Ohio are viewed as their best opportunities to flip the Senate. But the Michigan race is competitive – Republican John James came within 2 points of unseating Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) in 2020.

The eventual nominee will likely face Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) in the November general election.