Seven Thoughts on El-Sayed Becoming The Democratic Nominee in the Michigan Senate Race

I have some thoughts I would like to share about Abdul El-Sayed becoming the Democratic nominee in the Michigan Senate race last night.

No Double-Digit Victory for El-Sayed

El-Sayed was widely expected to crush Haley Stevens by double-digits last night based on recent polls. Although he never trailed, El-Sayed only prevailed by 1% (48.5% to 47.5%) which adds up to all of about 15,000 votes. Somehow, Mallory McMorrow who dropped out last month earned 4% of the vote. How would those 61,000 votes have been split had she been off the ballot? El-Sayed might still have prevailed, but this was no cakewalk. He and his people have an air of overconfidence, and it nearly cost him. 

A Narrow Victory for El-Sayed is Still Very Cold Comfort

The fact that El-Sayed by a narrow margin is very cold comfort to me. After all, a plurality of Michigan Democrats didn't care they were voting for a vile anti-Semite. His proclamations of love to the Jewish people and Judaism ring hollow so long as he insists on palling around with Hasan Piker who champions Hamas, the organization responsible for the deaths of the most Jews since the Holocaust while making excuses for the terrorist attack on a synagogue in his own state.

I Partially Agree with Trump's Assessment of El-Sayed

After El-Sayed had been declared the winner, Trump wrote on Truth Social:

Great news for the Republican Party. El-Sayed, a Communist loser who hates Jews and Israel, is the projected winner in his race with the Socialist.

I agree with Trump when he says El-Sayed hates Jews and Israel. However, I think it would be more accurate to describe El-Sayed as an Islamist with a leftist facade. I'm also not sure if El-Sayed's victory is such great news for Republicans.

Republicans Are Overconfident Against El-Sayed

Matt Vespa of Townhall.com thinks El-Sayed's victory all but guarantees Republicans will retain control of the Senate. It is certainly a possibility that Mike Rogers will pick up this seat for Republicans against El-Sayed, but there is a lot of ground to cover in Michigan over the next three months.

For starters, El-Sayed has a strong ground game. Trump can scream fraud all he wants but El-Sayed has demonstrated he can get voters to pull the lever for him.

Speaking of Trump, he looms very large in this race. His disapproval rate in Michigan reflects the national average and isn't likely to get any better over the next three months. El-Sayed will do everything he can to tie Rogers to Trump.

Mike Rogers had better campaign with everything he can muster because he will need every bit of it.

If I Lived in Michigan, I Would Vote for Rogers with Reservations

I am thankful that I do not live in Michigan just as I am grateful that I do not live in Texas. But if I were a Texas voter, I could not bring myself to vote for either Republican Ken Paxton or Democrat James Talarico.

But if I were a Michigan voter, I would cast my ballot for Rogers. My vote would be more against El-Sayed than for Rogers. Again, El-Sayed is a vile anti-Semite. I don't want vile anti-Semites elected to the U.S. Senate. Unlike Paxton, Rogers does not have a history of corruption and knows how things work.

When it comes to Israel, I hope Rogers will put El-Sayed on the defensive and tie him to Hamas and Hezbollah and take him to task for his irresponsible statements concerning the synagogue shooting in West Bloomfield Township.

Yet I am not without reservations where it concerns Rogers. When Joe Biden beat Donald Trump in the 2020 election, Rogers urged Trump to accept the results. Rogers doesn't say such things anymore and has indulged Trump's conspiracy theories when he ran for the U.S. Senate in 2024 (narrowly losing to Elissa Slotkin) and in his current run for office.

Like other Republicans, I have no doubt Rogers doesn't believe any of Trump's nonsense where it concerns elections. The reality however is that the price of admission for running under the Republican Party banner is to indulge in Trump's election denialism.

Stevens is Fully Backing El-Sayed Days After She Accused Him of Engaging in Anti-Semitism

Yet let us not kid ourselves. The Democratic Party has a price of admission to run under its banner and in our current age that price of admission of is for its candidates to accuse Israel of genocide.

If Stevens wants to have a future in the Democratic Party, then that means she is going to have to support openly anti-Semitic candidates for office.

As mentioned, a few short days ago, Stevens castigated El-Sayed for wanting "to blame all of your problems on Jewish Americans." But when asked by CNN if she would support El-Sayed if he won the primary, Stevens said, "You bet."

Now perhaps Stevens will endorse him but keep her distance and not campaign with him. But if Stevens wants to return to Congress or decides she wants to run for Governor if Republican John James beats Democrat Jocelyn Benson, she will very likely have to back El-Sayed to the hilt. Of course, Stevens could do this, and Democratic primary voters will decide she is a Zionist and roundly reject her.

Conclusion: El Sayed's Election to the U.S. Senate Would Be Another Step in Legitimizing Anti-Semitism in America

While Democratic voters at large do not universally support anti-Semitic candidates, a plurality does and that plurality is likely to grow in years to come. Although Republicans sense an opportunity to gain a seat, they and especially Rogers would be foolish to underestimate El-Sayed's organization and the albatross that is President Trump.

If El-Sayed is elected to the U.S. Senate, then it would be another step in the legitimization of anti-Semitism in this country and perhaps a step more significant than the election of Zohran Mamdani in New York City. While NYC is a firmly left-wing city, the same cannot be said for Michigan. His election would demonstrate there is broader acceptance of anti-Semitism beyond left-wing precincts.

Michigan voters have three months to decide if they want to play a role in legitimizing anti-Semitism in this country or if they want to vote for decency.