Abdul El-Sayed Wins Michigan Senate Race Despite Jewish Voter Divide
Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed won 50% of the Michigan Jewish vote but underperformed other Democrats due to his anti-Israel positions and past comments.
Democratic Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed won 50% of the Jewish vote in Michigan's midterm elections, leading Republican Mike Rogers, who received 43%. Despite the victory, El-Sayed underperformed other Democratic candidates, such as Governor-elect Jocelyn Benson, who secured 69% of the Jewish vote. A survey of 883 voters conducted by Mercury Public Affairs for The Jewish Majority revealed a sharp divide in Oakland County, where Rogers led El-Sayed 52% to 39%.
Further analysis of the data shows that among Jewish voters who cast ballots specifically on Election Day, Rogers led El-Sayed by 13 points, receiving 54% support compared to El-Sayed's 41%. Among Jewish Democrats who rejected El-Sayed on Election Day, 87% cited concerns about antisemitism as a primary reason for their decision.
The disparity is attributed to El-Sayed's anti-Israel positions and his response to a terrorist attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield. Following the attack, El-Sayed stated, "Hurt people hurt people," a comment for which he later apologized. Among Jewish Democrats who opposed him, 98% indicated they would have likely voted for a different Democratic candidate.
