Michigan GOP Senate nominee targets disaffected Democrats after close primary

Republican nominee Mike Rogers released a campaign video aimed at Democratic voters who expressed disappointment after progressive Abdul El-Sayed narrowly won the party’s primary. In the footage, Rogers tells viewers that there is still “hope” for a Michigan senator who will “sit with you, hear from you and represent you.”

Rogers, seated beside his wife Kristi, highlights issues such as affordable housing and youth concerns, promising that his campaign will “have a home” for those voters. He also criticizes El-Sayed, accusing him of being tied to “corporate interests” and of aligning with controversial figures.

El-Sayed, a former public-health official, has sought to broaden his appeal by inviting supporters of both major parties to join his campaign, while Democratic leaders have quickly coalesced around his candidacy. The race has been marked by sharp rhetoric, including accusations that El-Sayed holds a “radical anti-Israel agenda,” a claim advanced by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee after spending heavily to oppose him in the primary.

Democratic Representative Haley Stevens, who lost to El-Sayed, has endorsed the winner and emphasized the importance of retaining the Senate seat for the party. A unity rally featuring former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is scheduled in Detroit as Democrats continue their consolidation efforts.

“I told everyone I’ll do whatever they want,” Stevens said on CNN, adding that the focus now is “Abdul beating Rogers.”