Abdul El-Sayed Leads Michigan Senate Race Amid Faith Attacks
Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed leads polls for Michigan's U.S. Senate seat while facing accusations of Islamist ties from Republican Mike Rogers and Donald Trump.
Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed currently leads the race for Michigan's open U.S. Senate seat, with one poll showing him at 51% against Republican Mike Rogers' 44%, while a RealClearPolitics average puts him ahead by 3.2 percentage points. If elected on November 3, El-Sayed would be the first Muslim U.S. senator. He is campaigning on a progressive platform featuring Medicare for All and a reduction in unconditional military aid to Israel.
Republican nominee Mike Rogers, a former FBI agent and congressman, has focused his campaign on manufacturing jobs and border security. Rogers and President Donald Trump have intensified attacks on El-Sayed's Muslim faith, with Trump calling him a "jihadist" and falsely accusing him of membership in the Muslim Brotherhood. During a rally in South Carolina, Trump stated that Black or Jewish voters who support El-Sayed are "crazy."
El-Sayed has denied any affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood, stating, "I had never been a member of the organization and would never join it." He has also faced scrutiny over controversial statements made by imams at mosques he reportedly attends. In response, former President Barack Obama defended El-Sayed in Detroit, comparing the attacks to the birther conspiracies previously used against him.
To counter high-spending outside groups, Senator Bernie Sanders and other members of Congress committed over $1.3 million to El-Sayed's campaign. Meanwhile, Rogers has attempted to narrow the gap by courting traditional Democratic constituencies in Detroit and Jewish voters.
