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Detroit Jewish Democrats back Rogers over concerns about El-Sayed’s response to antisemitism
Some traditionally Democratic Jewish voters in Detroit say they will back Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan’s midterm Senate race, citing concerns about Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed’s response to antisemitism and his links to controversial figures. The account comes as El-Sayed leads Rogers in a recent poll, while former Democratic rival Haley Stevens has endorsed Rogers, highlighting divisions within the party.
Voter Shlomi Bennett said El-Sayed had not clearly condemned ads Jewish voters considered antisemitic or the rhetoric of streamer Hasan Piker; El-Sayed has called antisemitism a scourge and said he is committed to Jewish Americans’ safety, but did not name Piker. The New York Times/Siena University poll put El-Sayed at 53 per cent and Rogers at 42 per cent. The article also reports younger voters’ support for El-Sayed, including an August survey that found 62 per cent backing among 18 to 34-year-olds, compared with 36 per cent among voters aged 50 to 64.
In short
- Some Detroit Jewish voters say they will switch to Mike Rogers.
- They cite concerns about El-Sayed’s response to antisemitism.
- A poll still gives El-Sayed an 11-point lead.
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The case for
Jewish voters who back Rogers may reasonably want a clear, direct response to antisemitic rhetoric and feel El-Sayed’s statements have not addressed particular figures or adverts that concern them. They may see Rogers as the more reliable choice on this issue, even if they usually vote Democratic, and view Stevens’s endorsement as evidence that their concerns are shared within the party.
The case against
Voters may argue that El-Sayed has explicitly called antisemitism a scourge and pledged to protect Jewish Americans, and that not naming a particular streamer does not by itself show tolerance of antisemitism. They may also judge candidates on a wider range of issues and see the reported support among younger voters as a sign that El-Sayed’s broader appeal matters alongside these disagreements.
Explained simply
Michigan’s Senate race is an election to choose one of the state’s two representatives in the US Senate. Abdul El-Sayed is the Democratic candidate and Mike Rogers is the Republican candidate; both are seeking support from voters across Michigan, including Detroit’s Jewish community.
Some Jewish voters who usually support Democrats say they are concerned about El-Sayed’s response to antisemitism, meaning hostility or prejudice towards Jewish people, and his associations with controversial public figures. El-Sayed has said antisemitism is a scourge and that he is committed to Jewish Americans’ safety. The disagreement reflects divisions among Democrats over how candidates address antisemitism and related political disputes.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Daily Mail as “Democrats in Michigan tell the Daily Mail why they’re voting Republican as ‘troubling’ Abdul El-Sayed surges in poll”.