Jewish Democrats Split Over Michigan Senate Race as Rogers Courts Disaffected Voters

Republican Mike Rogers is mounting an aggressive bid to recapture Michigan’s U.S. Senate seat by appealing to Democrats estranged from party nominee Abdul El-Sayed, particularly Jewish voters alarmed by the candidate’s criticism of Israel’s military operations in Gaza. Rogers came within 20,000 votes of victory in his previous Senate attempt and is now leveraging those vulnerabilities as he seeks to flip a seat Democrats must retain to control the chamber.

El-Sayed, a former Wayne County Health Department director and epidemiologist, narrowly defeated moderate Rep. Haley Stevens in a contentious primary to secure the Democratic nomination. If elected, he would become the nation’s first Muslim senator, bringing a platform that includes Medicare-for-all and the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The candidate’s recent statements characterizing Israel’s military campaign as “bloodthirsty” and accusing Israeli leadership of genocide have sparked outrage among some Michigan Jewish Democrats. El-Sayed has declined to directly answer whether Israel has the right to exist, though he has stated support for Palestinians and opposition to unconditional U.S. military aid to the country.

Concerns intensified after El-Sayed appeared alongside online streamer Hasan Piker, who has made repeated critical comments about Israel and has faced accusations of antisemitism. Piker endorsed El-Sayed during the primary and attended multiple campaign events, including the candidate’s primary night celebration in Detroit.

Rabbi Asher Lopatin, representing Rogers’ newly announced “Democrats for Mike” coalition, publicly declared his intention to vote Republican despite his party affiliation. He criticized El-Sayed for showing “contempt for the Jewish community” through his association with Piker and his rhetoric on Israel.

Jewish leaders in Michigan are circulating an open letter urging Jewish Democrats and independents to support Rogers, with one organizer describing the moment as a “do-or-die” situation. Some signatories characterized the party’s direction as reflecting an “anti-Jewish drift” beyond typical ideological shifts.

Joan Lowenstein, endorsement chair of the Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus, distanced her organization from the letter while acknowledging the genuine concerns motivating it. She noted that affected voters view the issue as existential while the caucus maintains its commitment to Democratic candidates.

Republican strategist Michael Schostak suggested that Michigan’s approximately 70,000 Jewish voters could shift the election decisively if a majority defect to Rogers, potentially creating a 100,000-vote swing that would reverse Rogers’ narrow 2022 loss to Democrat Elissa Slotkin.

El-Sayed responded to the tensions by reaffirming solidarity with Jewish voters and pledging commitment to combating antisemitism. His campaign emphasized his distinction between criticizing Israeli government policy and expressing antisemitic views, noting his ongoing dialogues with Jewish community leaders across the state.

Roslyn Schindler, an 80-year-old retired professor whose parents survived the Holocaust, defended El-Sayed as genuinely non-antisemitic based on personal conversations and his attendance at her synagogue, including a Seder on April 2. She pushed back against characterizations of his positions as reflecting hostility toward Jewish people.