Trump Voters May Help Abdul El-Sayed Defeat Mike Rogers in Michigan
Some Arab Americans who backed Trump in 2024 now see Abdul El-Sayed as the “America First” pick against Mike Rogers.
Several Michigan voters, who supported President Donald Trump in the 2024 election, are now backing Democrat Abdul El-Sayed for U.S. Senate. This shift in allegiance could impact the outcome of the Senate race, where El-Sayed is currently leading polls over Republican former Representative Mike Rogers.
El-Sayed, a physician and former Wayne County public health director, is set to become the first Muslim senator if he wins. The majority Arab American city of Dearborn, which voted for Trump in 2024 due to anger over U.S. support for Israel's war in Gaza, is now seeing El-Sayed as the candidate championing "America First" principles.
According to recent polls, El-Sayed has been leading Rogers by narrow margins, with some surveys showing a 51 to 45 percent advantage, while others indicate a more competitive race. Notably, El-Sayed's support has grown among independents and even in the Upper Peninsula, traditionally a Republican stronghold.
Contributions from Dearborn and Dearborn Heights have significantly bolstered El-Sayed's campaign coffers, with over $200,000 raised from more than 200 donors in the area. Despite his Muslim faith, El-Sayed has sought to court these voters. One of his ads features conservative hosts like Tucker Carlson and Jesse Watters praising him. He also blames Trump's war with Iran for rising gas prices in Michigan.
On the other hand, Rogers has accused El-Sayed of ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, a claim he has made in debates and while campaigning for Republican gubernatorial nominee John James. El-Sayed has denounced such accusations as Islamophobic and shameful. The issue of El-Sayed's religious background has become a central point of contention in the race.
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