Michigan Senate Race Becomes Flashpoint for Jewish and Muslim Voters Over Gaza War

The U.S. Senate race in Michigan has become a deeply personal battleground for Jewish and Muslim voters, with the ongoing war in Gaza amplifying existing anxieties and creating sharp divisions. The contest between Republican Mike Rogers, a former congressman, and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, a former public health official and potential first Muslim senator, has moved beyond traditional party politics.

In the Detroit suburbs, Jewish Democrats are facing difficult choices about supporting their party's nominee, while in Dearborn, Arab American leaders who previously backed President Donald Trump express alarm over Republican rhetoric. These concerns have become central to the race, which takes place against a backdrop of heightened emotions following the conflict in Gaza.

Rogers has adopted a strategy of portraying El-Sayed as an extremist and a threat to Jewish voters. He has made comments that have drawn criticism, including laughing at a remark about El-Sayed and agreeing with a social media post calling El-Sayed a terrorist. These statements come as Rogers seeks to win over a traditionally Democratic constituency.

The tensions are palpable in communities like West Bloomfield, where a synagogue is still recovering from an attack earlier this year, and Dearborn, which features a memorial to children killed in Gaza. The race has even strained personal relationships, with friends like Lori Goldman, a Jewish Democratic activist, and Mimi Price-Miletic finding themselves on opposite sides of the El-Sayed question.

Goldman views Rogers' campaign as a "fear campaign" that is spreading insidiously. Price-Miletic, however, feels differently and has not ruled out voting for Rogers, leading to an agreement with Goldman not to discuss El-Sayed. The rift highlights the complex emotions at play, particularly among Jewish voters.

Rogers' campaign has focused heavily on Oakland County, a key area with a significant Jewish population, holding events that question El-Sayed's safety record in the wake of recent events. Vance Patrick, chair of the Oakland County Republican Party, stated that Rogers is making headway with Jewish voters, who are "listening to the Republican Party this time."

Rogers has visited numerous synagogues, including Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, which was the target of an attack in March where a man drove a truck into the building and exchanged gunfire with a security guard. The attacker had reportedly lost family members in an Israeli airstrike in his native Lebanon. El-Sayed condemned the attack but faced criticism for the comment "hurt people hurt people," for which he later apologized.

Rogers and his allies have repeatedly invoked El-Sayed's comments, with Rogers claiming El-Sayed "can't condemn terrorism in our own country because he's so close to the people who are supporting the Muslim Brotherhood." Trump has amplified these claims, asserting El-Sayed is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, a charge for which there is no evidence. While El-Sayed's half-sister made past social media posts about her family's long-standing ties to the organization, El-Sayed himself has dismissed these as "hearsay."

The Democratic Party is struggling to unify behind El-Sayed, with divisions over Israel exposed during the primary. Many prominent Democrats have kept their distance, and state Sen. Jeremy Moss, who is Jewish, has not endorsed El-Sayed. Even El-Sayed's primary opponent, U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, who has endorsed him, has not campaigned alongside him.

Concerns about El-Sayed's past appearances with controversial streamer Hasan Piker, who has made comments described as antisemitic, also contribute to Price-Miletic's reluctance to support him. Goldman, however, believes much of the rhetoric against El-Sayed is untrue and that Republicans are exploiting fears within the Jewish community.

El-Sayed's surrogates, including former U.S. Rep. Andy Levin, are engaging Jewish voters through informal house parties, aiming for open dialogue about fears and hopes. Meanwhile, in Dearborn, Arab American voters, many of whom shifted away from Democrats due to President Joe Biden's support for Israel, are growing increasingly critical of Trump. Republican rhetoric concerning El-Sayed has further frustrated this community.

Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud has labeled the rhetoric from Republican senators, who have used visual aids to link politicians to terrorist organizations, as "very problematic." Bishara Bahbah, who previously helped lead Trump's outreach to Arab Americans, stated that attacks based on religion are unacceptable and that El-Sayed is "as American as they come." Bahbah indicated that Trump's rhetoric towards El-Sayed crossed a "red line."