Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers is actively seeking votes from Democrats, particularly Jewish voters, in Michigan who are expressing reservations about his opponent, Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed. Rogers has launched a "Democrats for Mike" coalition, aiming to flip a crucial seat for Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections.
The strategy comes as El-Sayed, a progressive candidate who could become the nation's first Muslim senator, faces scrutiny over his criticism of Israel's military actions in Gaza and his association with online streamer Hasan Piker. Some Jewish voters and leaders in Michigan have voiced concerns that El-Sayed's rhetoric and connections alienate the community.
Rabbi Asher Lopatin, a Democrat, stated he plans to vote for Rogers, citing concerns over El-Sayed's comments and his association with Piker, whom Lopatin described as an "antisemite and racist." "I usually vote Democrat, but I'm going to be voting for Mike Rogers," Lopatin told Fox News Digital. He added that he believes there is a "growing movement" of Jewish voters who typically support Democrats considering voting Republican for the first time.
Another Jewish voter, who asked to be identified only by her first name, Stacy, echoed these sentiments. "The Democratic Party is going way too far to the left for us moderates," she said, adding that she felt El-Sayed's campaign was "putting a target on all Jews' backs."
Rogers has highlighted these concerns, recounting instances where he claims Jewish students at the University of Michigan felt unsafe displaying symbols of their faith. "I've talked to two young women who were at University of Michigan who were afraid to walk to class. They couldn't display their Star of David. To say that they're afraid is probably an understatement," Rogers said.
El-Sayed's campaign has defended his positions, asserting that he differentiates between criticizing the state of Israel and antisemitism. His communications director, Roxie Richner, stated that El-Sayed "remains in regular dialogue with Jewish leaders across the state."
El-Sayed himself has said, "I stand in solidarity with my Jewish sisters and brothers, and we can condemn antisemitism. And, at the same time, we can be talking about how we bring people together, and we can be talking about everybody's pain." He has also committed to taking on antisemitism "in all of its forms, wherever we see it."
However, some Jewish leaders, like Joan Lowenstein, endorsement chair of the Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus, acknowledge the division within the community. She noted a split, with some Jewish voters prioritizing El-Sayed's stance on Israel and others prioritizing the need for a Democratic Senate majority. "It’s sort of 50/50. Half the people I talk to say, ‘I could never vote for Abdul El-Sayed because of things he’s said about Israel and, consequentially, the Jewish community. And the other 50% say ‘it is so important for Jews as Americans to have an Democratic Senate that I could never vote for Mike Rogers.'"
El-Sayed, an epidemiologist, unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2018. His platform includes support for Medicare-for-all and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Rogers, a former congressman and FBI agent, is aiming to capitalize on these divisions in a race seen as critical for control of the U.S. Senate. The seat is being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters.