Michigan Republican Party Chairman Jim Runestad told Fox News Digital that growing unease among Jewish donors about Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El‑Sayed could lead to a notable defection of Jewish voters to Republican candidate Mike Rogers on Election Day.

GOP claims Jewish outreach is resonating

Runestad said the “big issue” for Jewish donors is El‑Sayed’s “off‑the‑charts” comments and his associations, which he believes are frightening the state’s Jewish community. He added that Republicans see an opening to present a different perspective to Jewish voters, emphasizing shared values such as entrepreneurship, lower taxes, and reduced regulation.

Local Jewish leaders split on the race

Approximately 500 Jewish Democrats or independents signed an open letter labeling Rogers a “friend to the Jewish community” and warning that an El‑Sayed victory could empower “far‑left and anti‑Jewish elements” within the Democratic Party. In response, a separate group of liberal Jewish leaders gathered over 800 signatures supporting El‑Sayed, while noting disagreements on foreign‑policy issues.

El‑Sayed attempted to reach out to Jewish voters by posting a video of himself celebrating Rosh Hashanah with two Jewish women. Critics, including state Rep. Noah Arbit, called the effort “tokenism” and questioned the authenticity of the outreach.

Conservative voices weigh in

Jonathan Greenberg, a rabbi who leads a conservative advocacy group combating antisemitism, said the video was not designed to win over the Jewish community but rather to address concerns from non‑Jewish voters wary of El‑Sayed’s alleged bigotry.

The Rogers campaign reported a surge of positive messages from Jewish voters in its social‑media inboxes and said recent fundraisers with Jewish donors have been successful, though no specific figures were provided.

Potential impact on the Senate race

While El‑Sayed enjoys strong support among Michigan’s Arab American community, particularly in Dearborn and Dearborn Heights, Runestad believes a shift among Jewish voters could provide Republicans with a lasting advantage. He warned that extremist commentator Hasan Piker, whom he described as El‑Sayed’s “right‑hand man,” poses a danger to the Jewish community.

El‑Sayed’s campaign spokesman Cole Wozniak countered that the candidate has had constructive conversations with Jewish leaders and will continue to engage the community to defeat Rogers, restore Democratic control of the U.S. Senate, and check what the chairman called “Trump’s reckless agenda.”

What this means for Michigan voters

The evolving dynamics of Jewish voter sentiment add another layer to an already competitive Senate race. Both campaigns are intensifying outreach efforts, and the final impact of these efforts will become clearer as voters head to the polls.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.