Politics
Republican Mike Rogers targets disaffected Jewish Democrats in Michigan Senate contest
The GOP nominee is seeking crossover votes following progressive Abdul El-Sayed's primary victory in the race to succeed retiring Senator Gary Peters.
The short version
- Republican candidate Mike Rogers launched a 'Democrats for Mike' initiative in Michigan to appeal to moderate and Jewish voters concerned by Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed's foreign policy stances.
- Some Jewish leaders in Michigan are circulating a letter urging support for Rogers due to El-Sayed's criticism of Israel and association with streamer Hasan Piker, while others continue to back El-Sayed.
- The Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus stated it will not support a Republican, and El-Sayed's campaign maintained that criticizing the Israeli government is distinct from antisemitism.
- The race to succeed retiring Democratic Senator Gary Peters remains a key contest in determining the balance of power in the U.S. Senate.
Key facts
- Republican Mike Rogers launched a 'Democrats for Mike' coalition to appeal to disaffected Democrats after Abdul El-Sayed won the Democratic primary over moderate Representative Haley Stevens.[Fox News]
- Rogers and El-Sayed are campaigning to succeed retiring Democratic Senator Gary Peters in a contest that could impact the partisan majority in the U.S. Senate.[Fox News]
- Some local Jewish leaders and voters in Michigan expressed opposition to El-Sayed over his rhetoric regarding Israel's military actions in Gaza, his opposition to unconditional military aid, and his campaign association with streamer Hasan Piker.[Fox News]
- An open letter is circulating among some Michigan Jewish leaders urging Democrats and independents to vote for Rogers.[Fox News]
- The Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus distanced itself from the letter supporting Rogers, stating it will not encourage voting for a Republican candidate.[Fox News]
- El-Sayed and his campaign defended his record, stating he condemns antisemitism, maintains active dialogue with Jewish leaders, and separates policy criticism of Israel from anti-Jewish bigotry.[Fox News]
What remains uncertain
- It is uncertain how many Democratic-leaning Jewish voters will cross party lines in the general election.[Fox News]