{"id":2648515,"date":"2026-08-23T06:34:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-23T10:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mixed-support-from-black-voters-threatens-el-sayeds-senate-hopes\/"},"modified":"2026-08-23T06:39:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-23T10:39:17","slug":"mixed-support-from-black-voters-threatens-el-sayeds-senate-hopes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mixed-support-from-black-voters-threatens-el-sayeds-senate-hopes\/","title":{"rendered":"Mixed support from black voters threatens el Sayed&#8217;s Senate hopes"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmixed-support-from-black-voters-threatens-el-sayeds-senate-hopes%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2648515&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Abdul el Sayed is facing challenges in michigan\u2019s Senate race as he struggles to rally the Democratic Party\u2019s core Black voters, whose support has historically been crucial but has been less eager about his candidacy. his weakness is especially evident in Wayne County, Detroit\u2019s majority-Black area, where he narrowly lost to Rep. Haley Stevens. El Sayed\u2019s response to voter skepticism, rooted partly in his african identity and stance during the 2024 Democratic primary, has been criticized as awkward and insufficient to address voters\u2019 concerns about issues like jobs, schools, and healthcare. His coalition is strongest among younger, white, progressive voters, while Stevens performs better among older, Black voters.<\/p>\n<p>Analysts warn that without increased Black voter turnout and broader coalition-building, el Sayed risks losing the election to Republican Mike Rogers, who is capitalizing on his opponent&#8217;s struggles. Polls show a close race, with slight leads shifting between candidates depending on the survey and voter groups. Additionally, potential declines in Democratic turnout among Black voters could tip the competitive margin. el Sayed\u2019s vulnerabilities extend beyond Black voters to include Jewish and union households, raising questions about his overall electability.<\/p>\n<p>To succeed, he must work to rebuild support among voters who previously rejected him and persuade moderates and suburban voters wary of his progressive stance. the race remains highly competitive with significant challenges rooted in demographic support and voter enthusiasm,emphasizing the importance of turnout and coalition-building in Michigan\u2019s closely watched Senate contest.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/abdul-el-sayed\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"23138\">Abdul el Sayed<\/a> is contending with the fact that the Democratic Party\u2019s most reliable voters could cost him the election in the high-stakes matchup with former Rep. Mike Rogers for Michigan\u2019s Senate race.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Black voters have helped propel his party to statewide victories for years, but they were significantly less enthusiastic about his candidacy than other parts of the Democratic coalition.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4696370\/mixed-support-black-voters-threatens-el-sayed-close-michigan-senate-hopes\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Mixed support from black voters threatens el Sayed\u2019s Michigan Senate hopes<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4697302\/mike-rogers-aipac-not-advertise\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Mike Rogers\u2019 team asks AIPAC not to advertise for his campaign against el Sayed: Report<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4696875\/graham-nordone-leans-on-trump-rescue-senate-bid-after-debate-gaffe-russell-fry\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Graham Nordone leans on Trump to rescue Senate bid after debate gaffe<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">El Sayed\u2019s weakness was particularly evident in Wayne County, the state\u2019s most populous county, home to Detroit, nearly 40% black, and a critical Democratic stronghold. Despite having served as the county\u2019s health director, el Sayed lost the county to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4687074\/haley-stevens-charms-democratic-detractors-after-primary-loss\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"4687074\">Rep. Haley Stevens<\/a> (D-MI), 51.3% to 45.4%, a deficit of roughly 17,300 votes.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That result leaves el Sayed with an immediate challenge: winning back voters who could have supported him in the primary but chose someone else.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He has seemingly yet to develop an answer to his problem. When asked how he would respond to black voters who do not support him, el Sayed pointed to his own African identity rather than directly addressing why those voters might be skeptical of his candidacy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Irina Tsukerman, a political analyst and president of Scarab Rising, said the response was awkward because black Americans and African immigrants can have distinct political histories and experiences.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHis answer about his African identity was awkward because it did not address what black voters were actually asking,\u201d Tsukerman told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">Collage of Abdul el Sayed, left, and Mike Rogers, right. (AP photos)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/08\/localimages\/image-collage-722b3vwa7-1787169607268-e1787170114554.jpg?1787326192&#038;w=696&#8243; &#8220;https:><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Abdul el Sayed and Mike Rogers (AP photos)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">El Sayed\u2019s primary coalition was strongest among younger and progressive voters, who tend to be predominantly white, while Stevens performed better among black, older, and metro Detroit voters. A July <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/news\/politics\/2026\/07\/14\/michigan-senate-race-poll-democrats-abdul-el-sayed-haley-stevens-edge\/90907700007\/?gnt-cfr=1&#038;gca-cat=p&#038;gca-uir=false&#038;gca-epti=z1136xxp119350l117650c119350u002652e1136xxv004952&#038;gca-ft=40&#038;gca-ds=sophi\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/news\/politics\/2026\/07\/14\/michigan-senate-race-poll-democrats-abdul-el-sayed-haley-stevens-edge\/90907700007\/?gnt-cfr=1&#038;gca-cat=p&#038;gca-uir=false&#038;gca-epti=z1136xxp119350l117650c119350u002652e1136xxv004952&#038;gca-ft=40&#038;gca-ds=sophi\">Glengariff Group survey<\/a> similarly found Stevens leading among black voters, while el Sayed performed better among younger, white, and outstate voters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEl Sayed\u2019s weakness with black voters is serious, but black voters are not a political group chat,\u201d Nick E. Smith, a Democratic strategist and president of Polaris, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cAge, ideology, income and geography matter.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Smith said el Sayed\u2019s Wayne County loss should be viewed as a warning sign despite his previous government position there.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHaving the resume doesn\u2019t mean you have the relationship,\u201d Smith said. \u201cVoters weren\u2019t handing out extra credit for previous employment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some black Democrats are now openly withholding support or opposing el Sayed, raising questions about whether he can broaden his coalition before facing Republican Mike Rogers in November.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rogers appears to be seizing on el Sayed\u2019s struggles. On Thursday, the Republican nominee launched a \u201cDemocrats for Rogers\u201d coalition featuring state Rep. Karen Whitsett, a conservative-leaning Democrat who said she\u2019d support Rogers in the fall.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">El Sayed\u2019s struggle with black voters is not necessarily driven by a single issue. El Sayed\u2019s support for the Uncommitted movement during the 2024 Democratic presidential primary remains a point of tension, particularly among voters who believed defeating President Donald Trump should have been the overriding priority. Detroit journalist Orlando Bailey recently said black voters remain \u201cholding his feet to the fire\u201d over that record.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But analysts caution against reducing the problem entirely to Israel and Gaza.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Voters in Detroit, Tsukerman said, are more likely to be looking for answers about jobs, schools, housing, crime, health care, small businesses, and economic opportunity \u2014 as well as whether black political leaders and communities will influence him.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPointing to his African background answers a question about his own identity rather than their political concerns,\u201d Tsukerman said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The stakes are heightened by a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aarp.org\/government-elections\/michigan-election-poll-2026\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.aarp.org\/government-elections\/michigan-election-poll-2026\/\">new AARP poll <\/a>showing el Sayed leading Rogers by just 1 point, 48%-47%, with 5% undecided. El Sayed performs better among younger voters and women, while Rogers leads among older voters and men.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A separate <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/fox-news-poll-senate-battle-looms-michigan\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/fox-news-poll-senate-battle-looms-michigan\">Fox News poll<\/a> conducted earlier in August found Rogers leading el Sayed 51% to 47%, while el Sayed held a 75% to 22% advantage among black voters. The differing results underscore the fluidity of the early general-election environment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Former Vice President Kamala Harris, who struggled in parts of Wayne County such as Dearborn over concerns about Gaza, won black voters in Michigan, 87%-11%, according to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/election\/2024\/exit-polls\/michigan\/general\/president\/0\">CNN exit polling<\/a> in 2024. She won Wayne County by 29 points; meanwhile, Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) won Wayne County by 32 points over Rogers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Rogers\u2019 lead with older voters could compound el Sayed\u2019s challenge with black voters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cRogers is stronger with older voters; el Sayed with younger voters,\u201d Smith said. \u201cYoung voters bring energy. Older voters have the annoying habit of actually showing up for midterms. In a 48%-47% race, that matters.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tsukerman said the greatest danger for Democrats may not be black voters switching to Rogers, but simply deciding not to turn out.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cRogers does not need thousands of black Democrats to vote for him,\u201d she said. \u201cHe benefits if they simply decide they are not interested enough in el Sayed to vote in the Senate race.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That could be consequential given how narrowly Rogers lost his previous Senate bid.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2024, Slotkin defeated Rogers by 19,006 votes, 48.6% to 48.3%. Even a relatively small decline in Democratic turnout in Detroit and Wayne County could alter the electoral math this time around.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSeveral thousand fewer Democratic votes in Detroit, accompanied by relatively small Republican gains elsewhere, can erase a margin of that size,\u201d Tsukerman said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jeff Burton, a former deputy executive director of the National Republican Congressional Committee and cofounding partner at Maven Advocacy, said el Sayed\u2019s coalition has vulnerabilities beyond black voters, including Jewish voters and union households.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEl Sayed can excite younger progressives and Arab American voters, but they cannot replace black voters in Detroit, Jewish voters, and union households increasingly willing to vote Republican,\u201d Burton told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He cautioned that the broader political environment could ultimately determine how damaging those weaknesses prove to be.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn a neutral political environment, those weaknesses could make him unelectable,\u201d Burton said. \u201cIf the economy remains voters\u2019 overriding concern, however, it may be the one issue big enough to paper over all of them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Democrats argue that Rogers has significant vulnerabilities of his own.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere is no question this will be a tight election,\u201d Democratic strategist Joe Caiazzo told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cHowever, Rogers has to defend the unpopular policies of Trump and MAGA Republicans that have led to this affordability crisis for Michiganders and all Americans.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Republicans, Caiazzo said, will try to frame the race around el Sayed\u2019s ideology rather than the economy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For el Sayed, however, the challenge is that he cannot simply assume traditional Democratic voters will return to the party\u2019s nominee in November.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNeither party has a lifetime subscription to the black vote,\u201d Smith said. \u201cEl Sayed\u2019s younger, progressive and Arab American supporters can expand his coalition, but they can\u2019t replace older black and other traditional Democratic voters.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4693319\/abdul-el-sayed-outperforms-mike-rogers-michigan-senate-poll\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"4693319\">ABDUL EL SAYED OUTPERFORMS MIKE ROGERS IN LATEST MICHIGAN SENATE POLL<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">El Sayed now has to campaign on two fronts: persuading independents and suburban voters who may be skeptical of a progressive nominee, while rebuilding relationships with Democratic voters who already had a chance to choose him and declined.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEl Sayed can\u2019t assume black voters who rejected him in the primary will return simply because there\u2019s a \u2018D\u2019 next to his name,\u201d Smith said. \u201cHe still has to earn the vote.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Black voters&#8217; lukewarm support risks el Sayed\u2019s Michigan Senate bid<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2646,"featured_media":2648516,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-collage-722b3vwa7-1787169607268-e1787170114554.jpg?1787326192&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[32174,35865,34723],"class_list":["post-2648515","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-black-voters","tag-election-campaign","tag-senate-race"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-collage-722b3vwa7-1787169607268-e1787170114554.jpg?1787326192&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2648515","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2646"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2648515"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2648515\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2648518,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2648515\/revisions\/2648518"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2648516"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2648515"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2648515"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2648515"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}