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Former Michigan GOP congressman holds slim lead over El-Sayed, poll suggests

The Republican Jewish Coalition has called Dr. Abdul El-Sayed “the most antisemitic U.S. Senate candidate in America.”

Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic candidate for senator in the state of Michigan, at a campaign event at Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Mich., Oct. 22, 2025. Credit: Conlan Houston/Flickr via Wikimedia Commons.
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic candidate for senator in the state of Michigan, at a campaign event at Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Mich., Oct. 22, 2025. Credit: Conlan Houston/Flickr via Wikimedia Commons.

Former Republican Michigan congressman Mike Rogers holds a slim lead over Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a Democrat and former Detroit public health official, in the Michigan Senate race, according to a WDIV-Detroit News poll released Tuesday.

The poll suggests Rogers has a 45.8% to 44.4% lead over El-Sayed, who has been a harsh critic of Israel. The Republican Jewish Coalition has called him “the most antisemitic U.S. Senate candidate in America.”

The survey sampled 600 likely voters over the phone. An additional 9.4% said that they were undecided.

Rogers has a favorability rating of 27.6% and an unfavorability rating of 37.4%, while 24.7% had no opinion about him. El-Sayed has a favorability rating of 34.3% and an unfavorability rating of 42%, and 17.2% had no opinion of him.

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