Key facts
- Arab American voters in Michigan, crucial to Donald Trump's 2024 victory, are now distancing themselves from the Republican party.
- Key issues driving this shift include the ongoing war in Gaza and perceived broken promises by the Trump administration.
- This change in sentiment could impact the closely contested Michigan Senate race, where Republican Mike Rogers faces Democrat Abdul El-Sayed.
- Former Trump allies and Republican officials acknowledge a significant loss of traction with the Arab American community.
- Rogers' campaign has employed aggressive tactics against El-Sayed, linking him to controversial figures and ideologies.
- El-Sayed's campaign has condemned antisemitism and criticized the attacks on his identity as politically motivated.
Republican efforts to build lasting support among Michigan's Arab American community, which significantly boosted Donald Trump in the 2024 election, are reportedly faltering. Many Arab Americans in the Detroit area, who had shifted towards Trump due to the war in Gaza and cost-of-living concerns, are now expressing deep dissatisfaction with the ongoing conflict and the slow peace process.
This disillusionment could have direct consequences for the Michigan Senate race, where former Rep. Mike Rogers is seeking to retain Republican gains against Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed, whose parents are Egyptian immigrants. Trump's perceived broken promises, coupled with Republican attacks on El-Sayed that some view as Islamophobic and racist, are pushing these voters away from the GOP.
Albert Abbas, who presented Trump with a peace prize in Dearborn, questioned whether Trump had truly put American interests first, stating the opposite has occurred. Hassan Nehme, former vice chair of the Michigan Republican Party, acknowledged a significant loss of traction, describing the Republican position in the area as "dead in the water."
Imam Husham Al-Husainy, who supported Trump in 2024, now backs El-Sayed, citing Trump's reversal on his promise of "no new wars." Amer Ghalib, a former Democratic mayor who also supported Trump, warned that Republicans should be more concerned about losing long-term trust than short-term gains. Faye Nemer, head of the Dearborn-based Middle Eastern and North African American Chamber of Commerce, anticipates a "change in sentiment" towards Republicans in the upcoming midterms.
Rogers' campaign has actively attacked El-Sayed, linking him to controversial figures and raising concerns about his stance on Israel. El-Sayed, who has condemned antisemitism, has had his campaign spokesperson call the attacks invoking his faith and identity "cheap."
Despite some socially conservative leanings within the Arab American community, many are drawn to El-Sayed due to his background. Republicans acknowledge that Trump's 2024 gains in areas like Dearborn, a city with an Arab majority, may not translate to support for Rogers, as some voters were primarily motivated by opposition to Vice President Kamala Harris rather than support for Trump's policies.