LANSING — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said on a podcast aired Sept. 22 that she will vote for Democrat Abdul El-Sayed for U.S. Senate, essentially giving her endorsement to a candidate whohas split Michigan's Jewish community.
Nessel's endorsement of El-Sayed had been in doubt because she has expressed concerns about antisemitism in the Michigan Democratic Party and said she stayed away from the party's August nominating convention because she didn't feel safe. Many Michigan Jews have expressed reservation or opposition to El-Sayed for his criticism of the government of Israel and his refusal to directly answer whether Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish state, among other reasons.
The race to fill the vacancy created by the pending
retirement of U.S. Sen. Gary Peters is seen as a critical one for control of the U.S. Senate nationally.
El-Sayed faces Republican Mike Rogers, a former congressman from White Lake Township.
"I don't want to say the choice is easy, but I am going to say there is no choice," Nessel, a Democrat who is Jewish, said on the Michigan podcast "For the Sake of the Argument," hosted by Lori Goldman.
"We have one candidate that I know is going to fight against the Trump administration, is going to protect both our physical security, our safety, our health, our futures. And then we have another candidate, Mike Rogers, who's not going to do any of that," Nessel said.
She said one of Rogers' primary concerns is "how many pats on the back he can get from (Republican President) Donald Trump."
El-Sayed, appearing on the same podcast, told Nessel he was grateful for her support.
"I'm particularly grateful for it because I know we haven't always agreed on everything," he said.
Nessel endorsed El-Sayed's opponent, U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, in the Democratic primary.
El-Sayed was campaigning in Detroit Sept. 22 with former Vice President Kamala Harris, the 2024 Democratic nominee for president. Harris was widely expected to announce her endorsement of El-Sayed.
Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan AG Dana Nessel says she will vote for El-Sayed for Senate
