One Week Out, Michigan Senate Race Shows Deep Democratic Fractures

Abdul El-Sayed and Mike Rogers have less than seven days to convince voters in Michigan's Senate race, but the Democratic side is dealing with internal friction that has drawn public attention. With Election Day approaching, party leaders are watching to see if these divisions will outweigh the frustration many voters feel toward President Donald Trump and the Republican Party.

The latest sign of that tension emerged Wednesday when Jason Turkish, the fiancé of former primary opponent Rep. Haley Stevens, told The Detroit News he plans to vote for Rogers. Stevens appeared on CNN later that day to confirm she will support El-Sayed, but she urged the campaign to address the discomfort among its traditional base. "Make people who are in my coalition, right, make them feel comfortable about coming to the polls," Stevens said.

Concerns among Michigan’s Jewish community have been building for months. El-Sayed’s past comments on Israel and his association with streamer Hasan Piker have raised questions for some voters. The issue came to a head with an ad from Rebellion PAC, an independent left-wing group, that connected U.S. support for Israel to rising grocery prices. El-Sayed said the ad had nothing to do with his campaign, a statement that some Democrats felt was not enough.

Rabbi Aaron Starr of Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield described the current climate as increasingly hot. "We are one week away from the election, and it feels like the temperature has turned way up," Starr told reporters. "Instead of things getting better over the last seven weeks, they’ve actually gotten worse."

The Republican campaign is also managing its own challenges. Rogers has stayed close to Trump, joining him Sunday at a rally in Port Huron. That city sits across the river from Canada, a key trade partner that Trump has targeted with tariffs. Rogers credited Trump with bringing manufacturing jobs back to the state during the event.

To broaden his appeal, El-Sayed has campaigned in heavily Republican areas like the Upper Peninsula. His team released an ad featuring conservative voices, including former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, praising the nominee. This move created additional friction with some Jewish voters who had already been concerned about the campaign's messaging.

Both candidates are making final efforts to win over Black voters, particularly in Detroit’s Wayne County. El-Sayed is scheduled to campaign Sunday in the Detroit area with Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina. Rogers has visited a reading remediation program at a Detroit high school and discussed housing costs in Pontiac. His wife also handed out $10 gift cards at a local gas station earlier this month.

The gift card distribution drew mixed reactions. Ruby Farmer, a 68-year-old Detroit retiree, criticized the gesture, saying Rogers was giving out gas cards without making other visits to the area. Farmer cast her ballot for El-Sayed three weeks ago, citing his opposition to Trump policies that affect her family. "I have a special-needs son," Farmer said. "He depends on Medicaid. Medicaid has been cut, and for home care workers in Michigan all the benefits are on hold."