Michigan Senate race splits voters over Israel-Gaza war
The Israel-Gaza war is shaping a fiercely contested US Senate race in Michigan, where voters are divided over American support for Israel. The outcome will help determine which party controls Congress for the rest of Donald Trump's term. Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, who could become the first Muslim senator, opposes US funding for Israel's military operation, which he calls genocide. Republican Mike Rogers, backed by Trump, frames the aid as a national security necessity. The race has exposed tensions among Arab-American and Jewish voters, traditionally Democratic blocs. Michigan has the largest Arab-American population of any US state and a significant Jewish community. Some Jewish Democrats, citing security concerns, now back Rogers or may abstain, while some Arab-American voters who supported Trump in 2024 now back El-Sayed.