State Rep. Noah Arbit publicly accused Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed of tokenism on Monday after the candidate posted a video celebrating Rosh Hashanah with two women. Arbit, who represents a heavily Jewish district, argued the women in the clip seemed unfamiliar with the Hebrew prayers they were reciting.
He told local reporters he finds this kind of performative behavior deeply offensive to the community he serves. The candidate aimed to prove he’s a friend to the Jewish community by spending the holiday with them, yet the effort backfired immediately.
Michigan GOP chair Jim Runestad predicts a massive shift in voter loyalty as a result of this controversy. Runestad told Fox News that Jewish donors are furious over El-Sayed’s past comments and associations. He believes this anger will drive many Jewish voters to abandon the Democratic Party this November. Runestad warned that El-Sayed’s behavior is striking fear into the local Jewish population, noting that his alarming remarks and connections are genuinely terrifying many families in the state.
More than 500 Jewish Democrats and independents in Michigan have signed an open letter supporting Republican Mike Rogers instead. The letter warns that an El-Sayed victory could let “far-left and anti-Jewish elements” take over the party. These voters say they back Rogers as a friend to the Jewish community for this specific Senate race, though they note their support doesn’t extend to the broader GOP ticket. El-Sayed has also faced heat for calling illegal immigrants “undocumented Americans” and “our undocumented sisters and brothers.” He made these comments on his podcast in May 2020, years before he called for abolishing ICE.
On CNN, El-Sayed tried to downplay his association with streamer Hasan Piker, who made offensive remarks about 9/11. El-Sayed called Piker’s comments “dumb” but said the streamer has “zero power” aside from his online show. He argued that people focus on Piker to avoid talking about real issues like gas prices. Rabbi Jonathan Greenberg offered a sharp critique of El-Sayed’s recent video stunt, writing that the clip “isn’t designed to appeal to the Jewish community” but rather to trick non-Jews worried about his bigotry.
Greenberg noted the real angst among donors stems from El-Sayed’s own history, not just this one video. Why would a candidate risk alienating a key demographic with such a clumsy display? The letter makes it clear these voters are reacting to a pattern of behavior, not a single mistake.
The Rogers campaign claims their outreach is working and that they are receiving positive messages constantly. However, the open letter from Jewish Democrats makes it clear their support is limited to this year and this Senate race. They do not necessarily support President Trump or other GOP candidates. Although this contest has consistently centered on the necessities of Michiganders, attention persists on fractious cultural battles.
