Democrats worry about retaining Black voter support in Michigan Senate race

Abdul El-Sayed, a former public-health official, is trying to preserve the coalition that helped him narrowly defeat Rep. Haley Stevens in the August primary. The Democratic Party views the Black electorate in Detroit, Flint and surrounding areas as essential to retaining the seat of retiring Sen. Gary Peters and achieving the four-seat gain needed for a Senate majority.

Republican nominee Mike Rogers, a former U.S. representative, has centered his late-stage campaign on outreach to Black voters, opening a storefront office in Detroit and highlighting proposals on new housing, apprenticeships and food-desert relief. At a Detroit Economic Club forum he said, ">We’ve spent a lot of time here in Detroit, Flint, Pontiac. I think if we’re going to get our state right, we have to have everybody included in its forward progress."

Prominent Democrats, including former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Kamala Harris, are touring the state to boost El-Sayed’s profile. El-Sayed told CNN, ">Mike Rogers is simply a rubber stamp on what Donald Trump wants. They understand exactly who Mike Rogers is."

Local Black leaders expressed mixed feelings. Rev. Charles Williams II warned that even a small drop in turnout could jeopardize the Democratic bid, while an unnamed Black leader cautioned, ">In a close race, even a sliver of doubt about Abdul could lead to defeat."

At a rally in Flint, El-Sayed downplayed concerns about his outreach, noting economic hardships that affect Black communities and asserting, ">My name and my faith are not the reason you can’t afford your gas."

Both campaigns emphasize the importance of Black voter participation, but analysts say the final weeks will test whether El-Sayed can maintain the support that secured his primary win.