Jewish leaders react to Abdul El-Sayed’s Michigan Senate victory

Abdul El-Sayed’s win in Michigan has prompted a range of responses from Jewish leaders and Democratic voters. Some say they are ready to work with the senator-elect, while others remain troubled by his comments about Israel and antisemitism.

Steven Ingber, chief executive of the Jewish Federation of Detroit, said the organization would work with whoever voters elect. Jewish voters, he noted, are not politically uniform, and the federation’s nonprofit status prevents it from endorsing candidates.

Ingber said election results can leave people either disappointed or encouraged, but he urged the community to stay united. Political disagreements will continue, he said, and the country will move forward.

During the campaign, El-Sayed faced criticism over his views on Israel and his associations with controversial figures. Some Jewish voters were especially upset by his response to the March 2026 attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan.

The FBI said Ayman Mohamad Ghazali drove a truck carrying commercial-grade fireworks and containers of flammable liquid into the synagogue on March 12. Ghazali died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound during an exchange of fire with synagogue security, investigators said. Afterward, El-Sayed remarked that “hurt people, hurt people,” drawing criticism. He later apologized, saying his words may have been misunderstood as an attempt to justify the attack, which he said was not his intention.

Democratic strategist Julian Epstein said the party has not consistently challenged prejudice when Jewish people are targeted. Opposition to bigotry and support for civil rights, he argued, should apply equally to every group.

Epstein also predicted El-Sayed’s victory could contribute to Jewish voters moving away from the Democratic Party. He said voters may question why they should remain with a party they believe tolerates hostility toward them.

The Detroit chapter of the American Jewish Committee recognized the historic significance of El-Sayed becoming the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate. The group said representation matters, but criticized what it described as his continued anti-Israel rhetoric, saying it alienates Jewish residents and puts American Jews at risk.

The organization added that El-Sayed would be responsible for representing all Michiganders. While he had said the country was “big enough for all of us,” the group said his criticism of Israel in his victory speech left many Jewish residents who support Israel feeling excluded.

Ingber, meanwhile, urged Jewish community leaders to speak out against antisemitism no matter where it comes from. He said it exists on both the far left and the far right, and is an American problem, not only a Jewish one.

He also urged Jewish Americans not to withdraw from public life because of rising antisemitism or political divisions, saying those challenges should not stop people from expressing their identity.

El-Sayed’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.