The El-Sayed effect: How Jews and Israel are factoring into Michigan’s primaries
DETROIT (JTA) — The intra-party debate over Israel that has dominated Michigan’s Democratic US Senate primary is reverberating further down the ballot throughout the state.Progressive former county health official Abdul El-Sayed’s bid to lead a swing state as an avowedly pro-Palestinian senator is being mirrored on a micro scale in Michigan’s 7th District — one of the nation’s most hotly contested congressional seats. In addition to endorsing a candidate there, El-Sayed and his movement have also taken aim at a Detroit-area incumbent who has belatedly embraced a pro-Israel platform, while a key architect of the 2024 “Uncommitted” movement is also running for local office.In contrast, a young Jewish candidate hopes to pick up the mantle of El-Sayed’s rival in the Senate race, centrist US Rep. Haley Stevens — and buck a growing national trend of Democrats turning away from supporting Israel. Jewish Democrats in the state, many of whom are…
The debate over Israel is significantly influencing Michigan's Democratic primaries, extending beyond the US Senate race to congressional and local contests. Former county health official Abdul El-Sayed, a prominent pro-Palestinian figure, is backing candidates and movements that challenge pro-Israel stances.
- In Michigan's 7th District, climate activist William Lawrence, who advocates ending military aid to Israel, is challenging centrist Democrats. His campaign has faced controversy over past remarks disparaging Black Democratic leaders.
- In the 13th District, State Rep. Donavan McKinney, a DSA member endorsed by El-Sayed, is challenging incumbent US Rep. Shri Thanedar. Thanedar, initially a DSA member, shifted to a staunch pro-Israel position after an AIPAC-sponsored trip and renounced his DSA membership following the October 7 attacks, stating, "I see this as the biggest murdering of Jews since the Holocaust."
- State Senator Jeremy Moss, a Jewish and pro-Israel candidate, is running for Congress in the 11th District, aiming to represent a more centrist, pro-Israel Democratic viewpoint amidst the shifting political landscape.
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