Wednesday, October 21, 2026 Vol. I · No. 22 · Late Edition Print size
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The Wire
White House pulls reporter from press pool after Trump clash; WHCA alleges retaliation El-Sayed and Rogers trade sharp words in final Michigan Senate debate On tape: El-Sayed in the Senate debate: the SAVE Act would make women who changed their names dig up birth certificates to vote Ilhan Omar says agents took 17 items in raid, and threats will force her to move On tape: Asked to pledge no election interference, Kash Patel said he won't take part in a "charade of lies." Vance defends Ramaswamy ad using Amy Acton's estranged mother in Ohio race Democrats sue Trump and DOJ over pressure on state election officials before midterms On tape: Asked if hundreds of FBI agents in Georgia produced a single indictment, Kash Patel says: "Not if it was sealed." On tape: Schiff asks Kash Patel point blank: were Trump-case agents purged from the FBI? Trump's women's health order creates an NIH division but sets no dollar amount White House pulls reporter from press pool after Trump clash; WHCA alleges retaliation El-Sayed and Rogers trade sharp words in final Michigan Senate debate On tape: El-Sayed in the Senate debate: the SAVE Act would make women who changed their names dig up birth certificates to vote Ilhan Omar says agents took 17 items in raid, and threats will force her to move On tape: Asked to pledge no election interference, Kash Patel said he won't take part in a "charade of lies." Vance defends Ramaswamy ad using Amy Acton's estranged mother in Ohio race Democrats sue Trump and DOJ over pressure on state election officials before midterms On tape: Asked if hundreds of FBI agents in Georgia produced a single indictment, Kash Patel says: "Not if it was sealed." On tape: Schiff asks Kash Patel point blank: were Trump-case agents purged from the FBI? Trump's women's health order creates an NIH division but sets no dollar amount
Abdul El-Sayed U.S. Senate — Michigan Toss-up First run
MInominee

U.S. Senate — Michigan · First run

Abdul El-Sayed

A physician and epidemiologist who ran Detroit's health department, El-Sayed won a close August 4 primary over Rep. Haley Stevens. He faces former Rep. Mike Rogers for the seat left open by retiring Sen. Gary Peters, a must-hold for Democrats.

On the ballot against Mike Rogers (R)

Why it matters: This is an open Democratic-held seat and the only Democratic seat Cook rates a toss-up, so the result could decide the balance of power in the Senate.

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The race at a glance

Race ratingToss-upCook Political Report, Oct 20 source
Polling average (6 polls) El-Sayed 48% 44.5% Rogers 8% undecided or other El-Sayed +3.5 Jul 1Oct 11Most recent poll from each pollster, Oct 5 to Oct 11. Checked Today, 9:51 PM ET. Every poll
Money raised (through Sep 30) El-Sayed$45,175,567 Rogers$20,565,706 $3,792,203 cash on hand. source

Every poll in this race

PollsterDateSampleEl-SayedRogersMargin
InsiderAdvantageOct 111,200 LV48%46%D +2
Z to A ResearchOct 9483 LV49%42%D +7
Quantus InsightsOct 7744 LV48%47%D +1
Guidant PollingOct 7800 LV48%43%D +5
YouGovOct 63,947 LV49%48%D +1
Mitchell ResearchOct 5682 LV · Margin of error ±3.8%46%41%D +5
Trafalgar GroupOct 11,085 LV · Margin of error ±2.9%47%45%D +2
Fox NewsSep 301,028 LV · Margin of error ±3%50%49%D +1
Marist PollSep 301,235 RV · Margin of error ±3.8%51%44%D +7
CygnalSep 29600 LV · Margin of error ±4%45%40%D +5
Siena CollegeSep 24605 LV · Margin of error ±4.9%49%44%D +5
co/efficientSep 23843 LV · Margin of error ±3.4%45%45%Tied

LV = likely voters, RV = registered voters. Polls listed by 270toWin, which lists 39 polls in this race; the newest 12 are shown. Each pollster name links to its own release.

Abdul's TV ads

Campaign adSenate, MI

Abdul El-Sayed

“Coda”

El-Sayed +3.5From the campaign's own channel · 13K views

Posted by the campaign on YouTube. Plays from YouTube when you press play.

In Abdul's own words

You're going to pay for it, both at the gas tank and at the grocery store, and so we've got to end that war above and beyond pausing the gas tax.
Abdul El-Sayed, at the Oct. 8 debate in Grand Rapids, on the Iran war and energy prices, Oct 8 source
No one should have to choose between getting the care they need or going into debt in the richest, most powerful country in the world.
Abdul El-Sayed, campaign website, on Medicare for All source

Where Abdul stands

Health care
He backs Medicare for All, covering vision, dental and hearing with no premiums, copays or deductibles, and opposes privatizing Medicare. source
Medicaid and ACA
He would push to repeal the Medicaid and Affordable Care Act subsidy cuts in the 2025 budget law. source
Medical debt
He favors abolishing medical debt, as he did for tens of thousands of people in Wayne County. source
Money in politics
He takes no corporate money and supports overturning Citizens United and banning super PAC spending. source
Gas prices and the Iran war
He supports pausing the federal gas tax and wants the war with Iran ended to bring down fuel and grocery costs. source

The record

  • Physician and epidemiologist; Rhodes Scholar with a doctorate from Oxford
  • Executive director of the Detroit Health Department, 2015–2017
  • Director of Wayne County's health, human and veterans services department, 2023–2025
  • Won the Democratic primary 48.5% to 47.5% over Rep. Haley Stevens
ConfidentialThe GOP File

The file on Mike Rogers

  • Rogers was initially a champion of the U.S.-Israel military action against Iran; as fuel prices rose he has said the war needs to end. source
  • At the Oct. 8 debate Rogers made repeated references to the Muslim Brotherhood, Hezbollah and Hamas; Michigan Public reported there is no evidence El-Sayed supports those groups and Rogers offered none. source
  • Rogers, a former congressman, has called for pausing the federal gas tax and touts cutting $11 billion from a $78 billion budget while on the House Intelligence Committee. source

Endorsed by

Gov. Gretchen WhitmerSen. Elissa SlotkinSen. Gary PetersFormer Vice President Kamala HarrisSen. Bernie Sanders

On tape

El-Sayed in the Senate debate: the SAVE Act would make women who changed their names dig up birth certificates to voteOct 21El-Sayed at the Detroit Economic Club: tax cuts for the richest plus wars we don't need add up to the debtOct 21El-Sayed disavowed the Muslim Brotherhood on the spot. He was still told he hadn't.Oct 21My name's Abdul. I'm Muslim." El-Sayed on why Republicans keep targeting his name and faithOct 20El-Sayed lays out three things Black voters can hold him accountable for.Oct 20Abdul El-Sayed to JD Vance: "Don't you dare come from Ohio to lecture me about America."Oct 20

In the files

Abdul El-Sayed. Photo: Conlan Houston, CC BY-SA 4.0

Profile sources: 1, 2, 3

Race data checked Wednesday, October 21, 2026. Quotes on this page were matched word for word against their sources.