Politics
Arab American support shifts from Republicans in Michigan Senate race
Former Trump supporters express frustration over foreign policy and campaign rhetoric, potentially impacting Mike Rogers's bid against Democrat Abdul El-Sayed.
The short version
- Many Arab American voters in Michigan who backed Donald Trump in 2024 are withdrawing support from him and the Republican Party.
- The political shift could complicate the U.S. Senate campaign of Republican former Representative Mike Rogers.
- Rogers is facing Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed, a Muslim physician and former state official, in a critical race for Senate control.
Key facts
- Michigan has the largest proportion of Arab Americans in the United States, with nearly 400,000 residents, alongside more than 100,000 Jewish residents.[Politico]
- Arab American community leaders, including former state GOP vice chair Hassan Nehme, stated that the Republican Party has lost traction in the community due to perceived broken promises regarding foreign conflicts.[Politico]
- Republican candidate Mike Rogers and the National Republican Senatorial Committee have targeted El-Sayed with attacks focused on his identity, associations, and comments regarding Israel.[Politico]
- El-Sayed apologized to Jewish Democrats for comments he made following a Michigan synagogue attack and has consistently condemned antisemitism, while his campaign described the Republican attacks as cheap distractions.[Politico]
What remains uncertain
- It remains unclear to what extent the Rogers campaign is actively conducting outreach to the Arab American community, as GOP organizers report seeing very little activity while the campaign highlighted its alliance with the Chaldean Christian community.[Politico]