El-Sayed visits Senate Democrats, who are starting to warm to him

Senate Democrats are starting to warm to Michigan Senate Abdul El-Sayed after a Wednesday meeting at their campaign arm’s headquarters, though muted reactions from some lawmakers indicated the progressive Senate nominee has work to do with the caucus ahead of November.

“He’s a great candidate,” said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), chair of the Senate Democrats’ campaign arm. “We haven’t lost Michigan in 30 years. He’s energizing the base, and I’m very optimistic.”

Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) told reporters he was “all in” for El-Sayed, who said he was “opening up a structural lead.”

“They have tried to paint him as something when he comes across so accessible to a lot of voters, and we’re starting to see that in the data, which means he’s connecting [with] Michiganders,” Heinrich said. “And at the end of the day, I think the things that are really driving this election cycle are the out-of-control costs of everything from groceries to gasoline.”

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) told reporters he planned to campaign with El-Sayed ahead of November, while Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) indicated he would be open to hitting the stump for the progressive former Wayne County health director if he was asked.

Both Kelly and Murphy are seen as potential 2028 presidential contenders.

“Abdul is going to be able to cross over and get conservative, traditionally Republican support in Michigan, and I think he’ll be more of a bridge builder here than folks think he will be,” Murphy said.

As he headed to his meeting with Senate Democrats, El-Sayed told reporters that “we’re having really productive conversations about what it takes to win,” when asked if he had reached out to Senate Democratic leadership about spending in the race.

El-Sayed said he was “looking forward to a productive meeting” with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who backed Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) over El-Sayed in the primary. El-Sayed added that “all pathways to a Senate majority run through Michigan.”

Other Democrats offered more muted responses when asked about their party’s meeting with the Michigan Senate candidate, whose position over Israel and progressive stances on issues have rankled some members.

Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), another potential White House hopeful in 2028, did not answer questions about how the meeting went with El-Sayed. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) also offered little on the meeting, calling it “peachy” and “just a private conversation.”

Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), who rushed in and out of the meeting, told reporters the progressive was “great” and suggested he would be a “fabulous” member.

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) offered little details about the meeting, too, but said that he looked “forward to welcoming him to our team in January.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a supporter of the Michigan Senate candidate, described the meeting as “informal” with “lots of hugs and lots of just this and that.”

Schumer was expected to meet with El-Sayed later on Wednesday.

El-Sayed, a critic of Israel, has frustrated some Democrats by describing Israel’s actions in Gaza as a “genocide” and being opposed to offering unconditional aid to Israel.

His closeness to far-left Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who’s made controversial remarks in the past including that “America deserved 9/11,” has also roiled El-Sayed’s bid as both Democrats and Republicans have pressed the progressive to denounce his ally. El-Sayed has said he doesn’t have any plans to campaign with Piker before November.

El-Sayed has sought to make inroads with Jewish voters, including by apologizing for saying “hurt people hurt people” in response to an attack on a Michigan synagogue earlier this spring, which the FBI characterized as “a Hizballah-inspired act of terrorism.”

A group of Jewish Democrats, including former Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and former Rep. Andy Levin (D-Mich.) also signed their name on a letter expressing their support for El-Sayed, according to a copy of the letter first obtained by The Washington Post.

“Although most Jewish Americans can easily support Dr. El-Sayed’s domestic agenda, his foreign policy positions and statements on Israel and Iran have been a concern for many,” the letter said. “But his positions are much less outside the mainstream of the contemporary foreign-policy debate than some of the charged rhetoric surrounding his candidacy might suggest.”

Meanwhile, a group of Jewish leaders and rabbis in Michigan offered their own petition , which pressed El-Sayed to change some of his stances around the issue without directly naming him.

The nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report rates the Michigan Senate race a “toss up.”