Republicans Target Abdul El-Sayed as Midterm Foil
Republicans are making Michigan's Senate race a referendum on Democrat Abdul El-Sayed. He says he welcomes the fight.
- $78 million in Republican ad spending outpaced $63 million from Democrats, per AdImpact.
- $40 million of Republican spending went to negative ads, versus $20 million for Democrats.
- Trump called El-Sayed Mohammed and a radical jihadist at a Tennessee rally.
- 4 points: El-Sayed's lead over Rogers in MSNOW's poll tracker Sunday.
Why it matters: Democrats need Michigan to hold the Senate. Some, like strategist Adrian Hemond, doubt El-Sayed can unite the party's factions.
- Republican ads cite his past calls to defund police and ease immigration enforcement.
- Some Jewish Democrats raised concerns over his Israel criticism and ties to streamer Hasan Piker.
How 13 sources split on this story
Where they split: Coverage divides over whether attacks on El-Sayed target his policies and associations or his religion.
Center coverage, 4 sources: The center sees a high-stakes race where El-Sayed's combative style and Republican attacks on his faith and record both shape the outcome.
Left coverage, 3 sources: The left sees a well-funded Republican campaign casting El-Sayed as dangerous, met by a candidate who fights back and draws crossover voters.
Right coverage, 6 sources: The right sees friendly media, citing NBC, softening El-Sayed's record by skipping his ties to Hasan Piker and his wealth-tax views.
What’s next: El-Sayed says he has held over 500 events in 100-plus Michigan cities. He is courting Black and undecided Jewish voters.
- Rogers linked El-Sayed's funders to the Muslim Brotherhood; Bridge Michigan found no evidence of ties.
- Will El-Sayed's confrontational style expand Democratic turnout or cost the party moderate votes?
- Will Trump campaign in Michigan, and would it help or hurt Rogers?
