Michigan Senate Race Faces Final Week Tensions as Dem Divisions Linger

Voters in Michigan face a final week of campaigning for the U.S. Senate seat, where internal Democratic disagreements threaten to complicate the challenge to Republican incumbent Mike Rogers.

The party’s divisions over nominee Abdul El-Sayed have persisted since a contentious primary in August. El-Sayed sought to broaden the coalition by targeting college students and rural residents, a strategy that diverged from traditional party tactics.

Public friction resurfaced on Wednesday when Jason Turkish, the fiancé of former primary opponent Rep. Haley Stevens, stated he would vote for Rogers. Stevens responded on CNN, confirming her support for El-Sayed while urging the campaign to address negative perceptions.

Stevens, who received strong backing from Jewish and Black voters during the primary, said the campaign must make coalition members feel comfortable at the polls. She urged El-Sayed to confront criticism directly rather than ignoring it.

A specific point of contention involved an advertisement by the independent group Rebellion PAC. The ad linked U.S. support for Israel to rising grocery prices. El-Sayed stated the ad had nothing to do with his campaign and was not the focus he wished to maintain.

Critics, including Rabbi Aaron Starr of Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield, argued that El-Sayed needed to denounce the ad more strongly. Starr noted that the political temperature has increased in the final week, reversing a period of stability seen in previous months.

El-Sayed’s campaign also released a spot featuring clips from conservative figures, including former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. The inclusion of Carlson, who has denied accusations of antisemitism, created additional friction within the Jewish community. Meanwhile, Rogers visited Birmingham with Sen. Ted Cruz, who described antisemitism as a poison splitting the nation.

Both candidates are targeting Black voters in Detroit’s Wayne County, the area where Stevens defeated El-Sayed in the primary. El-Sayed is scheduled to campaign Sunday with Rep. James Clyburn. Rogers has visited a reading program in a Detroit high school and discussed housing costs in Pontiac. His wife also distributed $10 gift cards at a gas station earlier in the month, a move that drew mixed reactions from local residents like Ruby Farmer, who voted for El-Sayed three weeks ago.