Abdul El Sayed, the Democratic nominee for an open Senate seat in Michigan, did not mention endorsements from Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in his first general election campaign advertisement. The 30-second ad is similar to a previous one used during the primary election, which highlighted these endorsements. Instead, the new ad focuses on support from labor unions.
This omission is significant as progressives have recently criticized Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez for not supporting Francesca Hong in the Wisconsin gubernatorial primary, where she lost to a more centrist candidate, David Crowley. Despite not identifying as a socialist, El Sayed's political stance is considered more left-leaning compared to his primary rival, Representative Haley Stevens, whom he defeated by 1 percentage point.
El Sayed is now preparing for the general election against Republican nominee Mike Rogers, a former Michigan congressman. Current polling indicates Rogers holds a slight lead over El Sayed by 0.3 points. El Sayed's new advertisement emphasizes his upbringing and commitment to affordability, featuring testimonials from his grandparents.
Rogers has also released a new ad outlining his goals for investing in skilled trades and reducing housing costs in Michigan.