Abdul El-Sayed, fresh off his Democratic Senate primary victory in Michigan, directly addressed Jewish voters in a video statement Wednesday, telling them his commitment to Jewish safety is the same as for his own daughters, according to The Zioneer. El-Sayed has faced months of accusations of antisemitism over his rhetoric and associations, including calling Israel's war against Hamas a 'genocide' and campaigning alongside controversial streamer Hasan Piker. He will face Republican Mike Rogers in November.
Abdul El-Sayed, the winner of Michigan's Democratic Senate primary, released a video statement Wednesday evening directly addressing Jewish voters, saying his 'commitment to Jewish safety is the same commitment that I have to the safety of my own daughters.' The message comes after months of controversy over El-Sayed's rhetoric and political associations, which have drawn accusations of antisemitism from pro-Israel groups and his primary opponent.
The video marks a shift in El-Sayed's public engagement with Jewish voters. Earlier Wednesday evening, shortly after his primary victory was projected, El-Sayed told Jewish supporters that 'AIPAC doesn't speak for me,' as The Zioneer reported. Those comments followed a campaign in which El-Sayed called Israel's war against Hamas a 'genocide,' demanded an end to unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel, and campaigned alongside left-wing streamer Hasan Piker, who has made antisemitic and anti-Israel statements. El-Sayed's primary opponent, Rep. Haley Stevens, accused him of blaming his political problems on Jewish Americans after he repeatedly attacked AIPAC's involvement in the race. El-Sayed has denied being antisemitic.
El-Sayed's victory in the Democratic primary was seen as a significant blow to the pro-Israel wing of the party, as The Zioneer's Eye on Zion analysis noted. He now faces Republican Mike Rogers in November in a race that could determine control of the U.S. Senate. The general election in Michigan, a state with a significant Jewish and Arab American population, will test the political viability of an openly anti-Israel candidate in a battleground state.
The wider context: El-Sayed's refusal to recognize Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state, first reported by N12 journalist Asaf Rozentzweig, has been a central issue in the campaign, as The Zioneer reported Wednesday morning. The general election will likely see heavy focus on foreign policy and the future of the U.S.-Israel relationship.
2 developments
Source and signal
- Open-source intake