OAKLAND COUNTY, Michigan — Michigan Republicans are making a final appeal to voters who have traditionally supported Democrats, arguing that winning over members of those communities could help decide the midterm elections.
They pointed to Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens’ late endorsement of Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers, who is running against Abdul El-Sayed. On Monday, state Republicans held a news conference to highlight the endorsement and its possible influence among Black and Jewish voters.
Six community leaders, along with nearly two dozen other attendees, criticized El-Sayed and praised Stevens for backing Rogers. They said El-Sayed had not adequately distanced himself from some of his more radical associations, and argued that support for Republicans was growing among people in their communities.
Michelle Nard, a Black former Democrat running for the state Senate, said Stevens’ endorsement could matter because she has a strong following. Nard also recalled speaking with a Black woman who described Election Day voting as an important tradition in her community. Even though Stevens’ endorsement came late, Nard said, it could still affect voters making a last-minute decision.
Marcus Bowman, a Detroit-area school board trustee who says he knows Stevens personally, said some of her supporters might feel betrayed, while others would respect her judgment. He believes voters who know Stevens and her values may be more inclined to follow her lead, especially given their concerns about El-Sayed.
There is some polling evidence of weaker-than-usual support for El-Sayed among Black voters. From August to September, his support among African Americans stayed near 75%, a level below the party’s typical benchmark. The Detroit region’s Arab American and Black communities have also differed on several issues, a dynamic that has surfaced during the campaign.
Polling has not shown a similar shift among Jewish voters, who make up a smaller share of Michigan’s electorate. Still, several prominent Jewish community members and donors have aligned themselves with Rogers.
Aaron Tobin, a conservative Jewish community leader, argued that Stevens’ endorsement could make it easier for Jewish Democrats to consider voting Republican. He said her popularity and standing in Michigan might reassure voters who are uneasy about El-Sayed’s statements.
Another Jewish voter, Ezra, said he believes Democrats have increasingly failed to address Jewish concerns. He pointed to a March 12 attack at a synagogue in West Bloomfield, saying fear in the local Jewish community had persisted in the months afterward and that El-Sayed had not eased it. He said some voters see Rogers as more likely to protect their families.
Ezra added that an endorsement made so close to Election Day might still matter, even if it changed only a small number of votes.
The campaign’s closing rally on Monday put those appeals front and center. Six Black and Jewish voters, most of them former Democrats, spoke onstage about why they considered El-Sayed too extreme. Rogers praised them, called for unity and thanked Stevens for her support.
Republicans at the rally greeted mentions of Stevens with cheers, and some hoped her endorsement could also help candidates farther down the ballot. Adam Piper, head of the Republican Attorneys General Association, said he had seen momentum for Republicans in Michigan even before Stevens backed Rogers, and said he expected the endorsement to benefit Republican attorney general candidate Doug Lloyd.
Lloyd said roughly half of eligible voters had already cast ballots through early or absentee voting, but noted that Election Day could still bring more voters into the race. If Stevens’ endorsement persuaded even a few people who had been undecided to vote, he said, he would welcome the effect.
Democrats countered that the endorsement could strengthen El-Sayed’s support rather than weaken it. Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel predicted it would rally Democrats, and El-Sayed’s campaign said it raised $2.4 million on Sunday, its largest single-day total of the campaign.
Republicans could benefit if they make inroads with Black and Jewish voters, but a shift among Arab American voters could offset those gains. Many Arab American voters who moved toward Republicans in 2024 now strongly support El-Sayed. Michigan’s Senate contest remained rated a toss-up in the final race assessment, leaving neither party with a clear advantage as voters headed to the polls.
