El-Sayed faces fresh internal tests in Michigan Senate race

With Election Day approaching, the Michigan Senate race has become a test of whether voter anger toward President Donald Trump can overcome deep fractures within the Democratic Party. The state’s Senate contest is viewed as a potential bellwether for national control.

The internal strife came into sharp relief on Wednesday when Jason Turkish, the fiancé of former primary opponent Rep. Haley Stevens, told The Detroit News he would vote for Republican nominee Mike Rogers. This public split occurred just days before voters head to the polls.

Stevens responded to the news by appearing on CNN. She confirmed her own vote for Democrat Abdul El-Sayed but pressed his campaign to address dissent more directly. She urged the team to "shut out the hate and call it out" so that members of her traditional coalition would feel comfortable supporting him.

Tensions have simmered since a contentious primary, with concerns persisting among Michigan’s large Jewish community. El-Sayed’s past remarks on Israel and his association with streamer Hasan Piker have drawn scrutiny. The issue escalated this week when Rebellion PAC, an independent left-wing group, released an ad linking U.S. support for Israel to high grocery prices.

El-Sayed attempted to distance himself from the independent advertisement. He stated that the ad "has nothing to do with our campaign" and was not the focus he wanted to maintain. However, Stevens and other allies argued that he needed to denounce the content more forcefully rather than simply disassociating from it.

The Republican side faces its own challenges, driven by dissatisfaction with Trump, the Iran war, and rising costs. Rogers has stayed closely aligned with the president, appearing with him at a rally in Port Huron on Sunday. That city sits just across the river from Canada, a trade partner that Trump has targeted with tariffs.

El-Sayed has attempted to broaden his appeal by campaigning in Republican-leaning areas, including the Upper Peninsula. His team released a spot featuring conservative voices, including former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. While Carlson denies accusations of antisemitism, the ad created new friction with some Jewish voters.

Rabbi Aaron Starr of Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield noted that the political temperature has risen. He told reporters that the situation has worsened over the last seven weeks rather than improved. Starr criticized both the Rebellion PAC ad and El-Sayed’s campaign strategy.

Both candidates are making final pushes for Black voters in Wayne County, where Stevens defeated El-Sayed in the primary. El-Sayed plans to campaign in Detroit on Sunday with Rep. James Clyburn. Rogers has also sought to connect with the community, visiting a Detroit high school and discussing housing costs in Pontiac. His wife recently distributed $10 gift cards at a local gas station, a gesture that drew mixed reactions.

Ruby Farmer, a 68-year-old Detroit retiree, criticized the gift card distribution as a superficial effort. She noted that Rogers rarely visits the inner city for other reasons. Farmer cast her ballot for El-Sayed three weeks ago, citing his opposition to Trump policies that affect her family. She has a son with special needs who relies on Medicaid, a program she said has faced cuts and benefit holds in Michigan.