Many Arab American voters who supported Donald Trump in 2024 are moving away from the Republican Party, potentially impacting Mike Rogers' Senate campaign.
Key facts
- •Michigan has the largest proportion of Arab Americans in the U.S., with nearly 400,000 residents.
- •In 2024, Trump won Dearborn by six points, while Mike Rogers lost the city by two points.
- •Imam Husham Al-Husainy, who previously backed Trump, now supports El-Sayed, citing Trump's failure to prevent new wars.
- •The NRSC's first general election ad referred to the Democratic nominee by his full name, Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed, a move critics say alienates Arab American voters.
- •Rogers' campaign spokesperson stated that the candidate welcomes all Michiganders and accused El-Sayed of fanning the flames of antisemitism.
Arab American voters in Michigan, who helped Donald Trump win the state in 2024, are increasingly distancing themselves from the Republican Party. This shift threatens the Senate campaign of former Rep. Mike Rogers, who is attempting to maintain the coalition Trump built. Voters cite concerns over the war in Gaza, the conflict in Iran, and what they perceive as broken promises and Islamophobic rhetoric from GOP candidates.
By the numbers
Shifting Political Allegiances
Community leaders who previously supported Trump, including former Michigan Republican Party vice chair Hassan Nehme and Dearborn-based Imam Husham Al-Husainy, report that the party has lost traction in the area. Voters expressed frustration over the administration's policies and the perceived failure to end conflicts as promised. Some voters are now gravitating toward Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed, despite ideological differences, due to his background and dissatisfaction with the current GOP trajectory.
Campaign Tensions and Rhetoric
Mike Rogers has faced criticism for his campaign's branding of El-Sayed, which includes accusations of extremism and circulating reports linking his family to the Muslim Brotherhood. Rogers has also attacked El-Sayed for his associations with controversial figures and his past comments regarding a synagogue attack. Meanwhile, the El-Sayed campaign has dismissed these attacks as "cheap" and accused Rogers of prioritizing corporate interests over working families.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Politico.
