Trump's midterm swing brings him to Michigan as Republicans aim to undermine El-Sayed in Senate race

Michigan's open Senate seat is drawing President Donald Trump to Port Huron on Sunday, as Republicans see a rare chance to flip a seat the party has not captured in more than three decades. Voters decide on Nov. 3, and the winner replaces retiring Democratic Senator Gary Peters. Trump's party is contending with public dissatisfaction over the economy and the war with Iran, according to ABC News.

Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive and former public health official who would be the first Muslim senator, faces Republican Mike Rogers, a onetime congressman with Trump's endorsement. Trump has called El-Sayed a "jihadist" and falsely says the Democrat belongs to the Muslim Brotherhood; Democrats call this an attack on El-Sayed's faith. In their final debate, Rogers asked whether El-Sayed was loyal to America or to terrorist groups abroad. El-Sayed called the question shameful. El-Sayed also apologized after remarks about a synagogue attack near Detroit, saying no justification was intended.

Republicans cast El-Sayed as emblematic of an increasingly radical Democratic Party, while progressives hope a win could affect the 2028 presidential primary. Rogers lost to Elissa Slotkin in 2024 by under a percentage point.

Summarized by PolitiKool from ABC News’s reporting. Read the full story at ABC News →