Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 3
El-Sayed Fails to Sway Some Jewish Democrats 2 Months Before Michigan Senate Election
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 3

El-Sayed Fails to Sway Some Jewish Democrats 2 Months Before Michigan Senate Election

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 3

Summary

  • Two days of outreach by Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed failed to win over some Jewish Democrats, who said his weekend apologies did not fully address remarks he made after a March synagogue attack.
  • Critics said El-Sayed appeared to apologize more for the timing of those comments than for their substance, leaving unresolved anger over his criticism of Israel and his ties to streamer Hasan Piker.
  • The dispute extends a bitter primary in which El-Sayed beat pro-Israel Representative Haley Stevens by fewer than 18,000 votes, a race that exposed Democratic divisions over Israel.
  • With just over two months until the general election, the lingering rift complicates El-Sayed's effort to unify Democrats against Republican Mike Rogers as Republicans including Vice President JD Vance court Jewish voters in a key Senate battleground.

Insights

Will a controversial apology and a last-minute liaison hire be enough to save a Senate campaign in its final weeks?