Democratic Senate Nominee Abdul El-Sayed Faces Intraparty Defections in Michigan
Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed faces accusations of antisemitism and defections to Republican Mike Rogers as internal party tensions rise ahead of the November 3 election.
The race for an open U.S. Senate seat in Michigan has become a flashpoint for internal Democratic division and debates over identity politics. Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee and a physician who would be the first Muslim senator if elected, is facing public criticism from former primary opponent Representative Haley Stevens and her fiancé, Jason Turkish. Turkish, a Jewish Democratic donor, announced he will vote for Republican nominee Mike Rogers, accusing El-Sayed of acting recklessly toward the safety of the Jewish community and promoting a hateful brand of politics.
Representative Stevens has maintained her endorsement of the Democratic ticket but has not campaigned with El-Sayed in months. She recently urged El-Sayed to denounce advertisements she characterized as fear-mongering about Israel. Other prominent supporters, including fundraiser David Kramer, have also defected to Rogers. Republican nominee Mike Rogers and President Donald Trump have intensified attacks on El-Sayed, with Trump calling him a jihadist and Rogers linking him to the Muslim Brotherhood based on a 2012 letter El-Sayed signed.
El-Sayed has dismissed these allegations as Islamophobic and stated he is building a movement to address challenges posed by Donald Trump. The NAACP condemned the Republican rhetoric as blatantly racist. With Republicans holding a 53-47 Senate majority, the neck-and-neck race is considered critical for control of the chamber.
