FIGHT FOR JEWISH VOTE

A major mystery is where will Jewish voters land? Since at least the 1930s and FDR and The New Deal, Jews have been primarily at home in the Democratic party. Now, many Michigan Jews are objecting to what they perceive as outright antisemitism on the part of Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed for a series of comments during the primary. From assertions that Israel may not be entitled to exist as an independent country, calling it a “rogue” state; that it should not receive funding from the United States; is guilty of genocide against citizens of Gaza; attacking his opponent, Congresswoman Haley Stevens, for receiving funds from AIPAC; for inviting noted and controversial podcaster Hasan Piker to join him at campaign events; and for equivocating in response to a terrorist attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield in March 2026, stating at the time that “hurt people hurt people.” At a Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus event in late August, El-Sayed apologized, stating “If my statement caused pain, I’m sorry.” His campaign has said he is hiring a liaison to the Jewish community; according to reports in Jewish Insider, that position has not yet been filled, and he has met with two rabbis from Temple Israel. El-Sayed has told numerous media he is focused on affordability. For his part, Republican Mike Rogers initially asked American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) not to run ads on his behalf, as they did for Stevens, or campaign in Michigan, but he did attend three AIPAC fundraisers in Los Angeles for him on August 23 and 24. Noted Democratic leaders Hanan Lis, Robert Orley and current Jewish Federation of Detroit president Brian Hermelin recently held an Oakland County fundraiser for Rogers, raising over $200,000 to defeat El-Sayed. “We feel this is a departure in the direction of the Democratic Party,” he told Jewish Insider of El-Sayed’s staunch opposition to Israel and refusal to recognize its right to exist as a Jewish state. “We’re taking a stand here. This is beyond politics.” Even though “there are many issues where we don’t necessarily agree with Mike Rogers,” Lis noted, “we trust him” on key issues. The fundraiser is meant to “show we are willing to back up a person” who holds a mutual commitment to a “strong relationship with Israel” and “is not playing politics” on other matters concerning the Jewish community, he explained. Eric Levine, a top Republican bundler in New York, told Jewish Insider Rogers is “making a direct appeal to the Jewish community,” including Democrats, and “has been very successful.” El-Sayed is maintaining support among some members of the Jewish community, receiving the endorsements of former Congressmen Sander Levin and his son Andy Levin, along with Senator Elissa Slotkin and outgoing Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.