Michigan Senate race exposes how Jewish community’s debate over Abdul El-Sayed reflects broader struggle over justice, Israel, and political future
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Abdul El-Sayed’s win in the Michigan U.S. Senate race has sharpened long-running tensions inside the state’s Jewish community, with progressive Jewish groups celebrating a politics of equality and anti-fascism while more establishment voices lined up behind Republican Mike Rogers.
Abdul El-Sayed secured the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat in Michigan, setting off celebration among progressive Jewish activists and a very different response from more traditionally pro-Israel Jewish leaders.
Eli Newell, Midwest field organizer for the left-wing Jewish group IfNotNow, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that the win represented “our agenda of shared safety, equality, justice and a brighter future for all.” The organization mobilized volunteers, including out-of-state participants, to canvass Jewish neighborhoods and make the case for a politics rooted in solidarity.
In contrast, Rabbi Asher Lopatin, community relations director at the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor, said he was not certain he was on El-Sayed’s “most favored list.” Lopatin, who campaigned for Republican nominee former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, said he would “work with what we have” and build relationships with the senator-elect and his supporters, reflecting the cautious posture of institutional Jewish leadership.
Decky Alexander, chair of the Michigan Jewish Democratic Caucus, noted a shift toward greater inclusivity, citing progressive groups such as Michigan Jews for Democracy and Bend the Arc as potential partners for the caucus, and signaling a broader challenge to older political gatekeeping.
A progressive political action committee, Millions of Michiganians, reported that El-Sayed’s vote totals in heavily Jewish precincts were within 1.3% of those earned by incumbent Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin in 2024, underscoring that support for him did not collapse even in communities where establishment leaders warned against him.
Before Election Day, more than 560 Michigan Jews signed a petition titled “Michigan Jews Against Extremism,” pledging to vote for Rogers because of concerns about El-Sayed’s rhetoric. Signatories included the president of Detroit’s Jewish federation and the head of a local Holocaust center. After the election, Mark Davidoff of the Michigan-Israel Business Accelerator said his organization was prepared to work with all elected leaders, an acknowledgment that practical engagement often follows political conflict.
A representative for the petition, Troy Zukowski-Serlin, later suggested the letter’s language may have been overly strong and noted that criticism could also be directed at the Rogers campaign, a reminder that the fight over Israel and Jewish politics is hardly one-sided.
The Michigan chapter of the Anti-Defamation League expressed “serious concerns” about El-Sayed’s past statements on Israel and urged him to demonstrate responsiveness to Jewish Michiganders. The Detroit chapter of the American Jewish Committee acknowledged the historic nature of El-Sayed’s election as the first Muslim senator but warned that his anti-Israel rhetoric could alienate Jewish constituents.
Detroit’s Jewish federation congratulated all elected officials and called for leaders to act with “wisdom, compassion and civic values.” Gary Torgow, chair of the Jewish Federations of North America, had urged Rogers during the campaign to secure election and later encouraged the Jewish community to move forward with optimism, even as the race left visible fractures over what Jewish safety and justice should mean in Michigan politics.