Dorothy

A key part of Rogers' pitch is directed toward Jewish Democrats, who are uneasy with El–Sayed's vocal criticism of Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza and who are outraged by El-Sayed's association with controversial online streamer Hasan Piker, who has repeatedly railed against Israel to his massive online audience.

El-Sayed’s record extends well beyond ordinary criticism of Israeli policy. The devout Muslim has called Israel a “rogue state,” accused it of genocide and apartheid, and declined to affirm its right to exist as a Jewish state. In a 2022 speech to a Council on American-Islamic Relations chapter, he compared an effort to prohibit Sharia law in Oklahoma courts to the Trail of Tears, the Tulsa race massacre, and the Oklahoma City bombing, arguing that each grew from the same forces of white supremacy. El-Sayed has also campaigned alongside communist streamer Hasan Piker, who has said America “deserved 9/11” and defended Hamas and Hezbollah.

Piker, who endorsed El-Sayed in the nomination battle, appeared at some of the candidate's campaign events, including the primary night party in Detroit. Piker, who has repeatedly stood by his comments critical of Israel, was also with El-Sayed at a party in Detroit on the eve of the primary.

According to a new report from Axios, Rogers met with AIPAC’s Board Chair Michael Tuchin as the former congressman’s allies have been asking AIPAC to roll back its advertising in support of his Senate campaign. One day later, the outlet said, AIPAC pulled a planned advertisement hammering Democratic nominee Abdul el Sayed from the Michigan airwaves.

The group and its affiliates spent more than $30 million during Michigan’s Democratic primary in an unsuccessful effort to stop El-Sayed, a socialist and vocal critic of Israel. Much of that spending aided Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI), whom El-Sayed narrowly defeated on August 4.