With less than two weeks until Election Day, many Michigan voters say affordability remains their top concern, from the cost of filling up their gas tanks to paying for groceries.

During Wednesday night's U.S. Senate debate, Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed addressed economic issues affecting Michigan families, including gas prices, trade, tariffs and the ongoing conflict involving Iran.

See the full story in the video below Michigan voters say rising costs matter most as Senate candidates make final pitch

Voters who spoke with 7 News Detroit said rising costs continue to shape how they'll vote.

Do you like paying these gas prices? Vote, man! said Almont voter Jerry Miller.

Miller said he wants elected leaders to focus on lowering everyday costs.

I need these gas prices to come down. This is very important because everything costs more when you have to deliver it, he said.

Macomb County voter Javon Hill echoed similar concerns.

Gas prices are kind of getting out of control because of all the war and conflict thats happening between the countries, Hill said.

The conflict involving Iran became one of the night's biggest topics after moderators asked both candidates whether they view Iran as a threat to U.S. national security and what America's strategy should be moving forward.

Watch the full debate between Rogers & El-Sayed in the video below Watch the entire U.S. Senate debate between Mike Rogers and Abdul El-Sayed

Both candidates agreed Iran poses a threat, but they offered starkly different approaches.

El-Sayed pointed to diplomatic efforts during the Obama administration, arguing diplomacy had previously contained the threat and claiming the current conflict is increasing costs for American consumers.

The consequences of this war are that you are paying nearly $5 in gas. You're paying more in groceries because of the price of diesel, El-Sayed said.

Rogers, meanwhile, focused on the dangers of Iran developing a nuclear weapon and warned of broader consequences for the region and energy prices.

You want to pay $8 a gallon of gas, let Iran get a nuclear weapon. You lose control of that whole region, Rogers said.

The candidates also addressed trade and tariffs, with El-Sayed calling for a more targeted approach to protect automotive jobs and Rogers raising concerns about the impact some tariffs could have on the auto industry's cross-border supply chain with Canada.

As the debate continued, Rogers repeatedly attempted to link El-Sayed to terrorism in the Middle East, while El-Sayed frequently tied Rogers to President Donald Trump and criticized his support of Republican policies.

Despite the political attacks, voters said they want elected officials to spend more time listening to the people they represent.

The only thing that they [politicians] pay attention to is statistics at most, Hill said.

Be more transparent. Let people know what you're doing behind the scenes, Miller added.

Michigan voters can register to vote through 8 p.m. on Nov. 3. Early voting is already underway across the state.

Families in a one-mile radius of a HAZMAT incident in northern Toledo have been ordered to evacuate. Video from overnight shows a haze in the air near the area of the Sterling Pipe and Tube Facility.

Watch the latest updates from Sara Molina in Toledo in the videos below Shelter-in-place & evacuation remains in effect for part of Toledo after chemical leakio

Fire crews say it happened just after 9:30 p.m., and we've been monitoring the situation all night. The evacuation is still in effect, but only for the one-mile radius around the HAZMAT incident.

See video from Chopper 7 during the morning in the video below Chopper 7 over HAZMAT situation in Toledo after chemical leak

The EPA is on scene and identified the chemical as an adhesive coating resident. That chemical is not considered highly-toxic, but it can cause irritation to the eyes, skin and respiratory systems.

A shelter-in-place has been issued for a three-mile radius around 1050 Progress Ave. People in that area are asked to keep their windows and doors closed and turn off all ventilation systems that bring in outside air.

You can see the evacuation zone and the then shelter-in-place zone below

It's not clear what chemicals may be in the air, according to fire officials. A nearby Meijer is currently serving as an emergency shelter location. The chemical leaked from a tank at the Sterling Pipe & Tube factory on Progress Ave.

"I got up, had my coffee as usual and then got dressed and left for work. When I got outside, I seen it was real foggy, but, other than that, I didn't think nothing of it until I got up here," one person told us.

The City of Toledo is asking people who have serious symptoms to call 911, such as difficulty breathing, nausea and vomiting, dizziness or confusion. For minor symptoms such as mild eye, nose, throat or skin irritation, contact a medical professional.

A sheriffs deputy was injured when he responded to the explosion around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday and was able to drive himself to the hospital, Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said at a news conference Wednesday morning.

MC Tank Transport said the tank contained glycidyl methacrylate, which it described as an industrial chemical used to make certain plastics, paints and coatings perform better.

Kapszukiewicz said the chemical is liquid inside the tank but becomes a gas when released. Video from the area showed a large plume in the sky.

There is still concern that the tank is emitting this chemical and it has the potential within 12 hours of the incident to be explosive, the mayor said, adding that it can hold 5,500 gallons of the chemical in liquid form. He said officials dont know what caused the explosion.

Its really toxic if you touch it, if you ingest it, Karim Baroudi, director of the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department, said during the news conference. Now were trying to kind of determine how much of a toxicity is in the air that the people are breathing so we can give better guidance.

Baroudi advised residents to close their windows and that those who feel irritation in the eyes, heavily breathing, just take a shower for now. The fire department said those who experience symptoms should contact a medical professional.

First responders, hazmat and safety teams are not approaching the tank because of the risk of more explosions, and will reassess conditions later Wednesday morning, Kapszukiewicz said.

Arkansas-based MC Tank Transport said in a statement the company is working with the fire department and other emergency authorities. Company representatives were on their way to Toledo, Kapszukiewicz said.

Our immediate and overriding concern is the safety of area residents, emergency responders and our employees, it said. Our immediate and overriding concern is the safety of area residents, emergency responders and our employees.

Despite months of opposition from residents, Van Buren Township officials approved plans Wednesday for a controversial Google data center campus, clearing the way for a project that is already under construction and expected to bring years of development activity to the area.

The hyperscale data center campus will span 282 acres north of I-94 between Haggerty Road and I-275.

See the full story in the video below Van Buren approves Google data center, other communities move to slow similar projects

Residents packed public meetings leading up to the decision, raising concerns about everything from noise and dust to environmental impacts, property values and water usage.

"I have repeatedly expressed concern about the potential effects of continuous low frequency humming and total noise," one resident told officials.

Another resident argued that "noise and nuisance do not belong in residential neighborhoods."

Many residents said they felt their concerns were being ignored throughout the approval process.

Developers, however, said the project has been significantly modified in response to community feedback.

"We've worked hard over the last three years to take as much community feedback into the site plan and the design," said Adam Kramer, president of Panattoni Data Centers.

Kramer said the company has invested tens of millions of dollars into changes aimed at reducing impacts on nearby neighborhoods.

"Most residents won't even know that the data center is there just because visually you're not going to see it. Out of sight, out of mind. But you will feel the benefits from this," Kramer said.

Developers say the development will create jobs and generate substantial tax revenue. Township officials said that state law limits their ability to reject projects that meet zoning requirements.

"The planning commission, per Michigan state law, is required to approve site plans that satisfy the ordinance standards," one township official said during the meeting.

Construction Timeline

While debate over the project continues, construction activity is already underway.

According to project documents, underground utility work associated with the development will be completed in eight phases. Most of the work will require temporary road closures near the I-94 Service Drive, Van Buren Street and Old Haggerty Road.

The early phases of construction are expected to continue through the end of 2026, with additional work planned into early 2027.

The final phases are scheduled for March 2027 and will affect Haggerty Road traffic. Rather than full closures, drivers can expect alternating one-way traffic controlled by flaggers while work is underway.

A Growing Statewide Debate

According to reporting by GovTech, Springfield Township in Oakland County approved a 180-day moratorium on new data center applications while officials rewrite zoning regulations and study potential impacts on utilities, public safety and natural resources. Township leaders said they were not prepared to evaluate a large-scale data center proposal without additional rules in place.

Detroit is also weighing restrictions. According to Planet Detroit, the Detroit City Council approved a resolution urging a two-year pause on new data center permits while the city studies issues including power demand, water usage, noise and land-use impacts.

Oxford Township has gone a step further. According to Hoodline, township officials enacted a one-year moratorium while developing regulations related to noise, cooling systems, power demand, generators, water usage and eventual decommissioning requirements. Public interest has been high, with hundreds of residents attending meetings on the issue.

Similar conversations have also taken place in Washington Township and Wixom. According to DataCenterBans.com, Wixom previously adopted a temporary moratorium before implementing stricter zoning requirements, including setbacks from homes, sound studies and water protection measures.

The trend suggests local governments are no longer debating only whether to allow data centers. Instead, many communities are focusing on whether they have regulations in place before major proposals arrive.

For some Van Buren Township residents, that conversation is happening after the fact.

Township officials have maintained that the Google data center met existing zoning requirements, leaving them with no legal basis to deny the project. As construction moves forward, the development is expected to remain a focal point in the broader discussion over how Michigan communities should prepare for future data center proposals.