Muslim Brotherhood

Michigan's Senate race between Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul el Sayed has scrambled traditional party loyalties, with some voters crossing lines over issues including Israel, antisemitism, and Islamophobia. El Sayed's primary win over Rep. Haley Stevens exposed rifts among Democrats, particularly Jewish voters, and Stevens later endorsed Rogers. Republicans have faced accusations of Islamophobia for attacks tying el Sayed to his Muslim faith and alleged extremist ties, which he denies. Interviews with voters in Dearborn, Birmingham, and Detroit show a mix of motivations, from concerns about Israel to discomfort with Trump's influence on Rogers. The race is one of the most competitive in the country, with Senate control at stake.

Independent Sen. Joe Manchin, a former Democrat, has endorsed Michigan Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers over Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, citing Rogers' experience and knowledge of national security issues. Rogers, former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, says his campaign is drawing crossover support from longtime Democrats, pointing to scrutiny of El-Sayed's past leadership in the Muslim Student Association and alleged Muslim Brotherhood ties. Separately, Jason Turkish, the Jewish fiancé of Rep. Haley Stevens, who lost to El-Sayed in the primary, said he'll back Rogers, citing concerns over rhetoric affecting Jewish constituents. The race is a closely watched contest in the fight for Senate control.

A debate between Michigan U.S. Senate candidates Abdul El-Sayed (D) and Mike Rogers (R) turned contentious as the two clashed over Iran policy and national security. El-Sayed blamed Rogers and President Trump for abandoning the JCPOA and pursuing military action he said drove up gas and grocery prices, while accusing Rogers of being backed by AIPAC-linked donors. Rogers countered that Iran remains a major threat tied to Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, and alleged El-Sayed has links to the Muslim Brotherhood and failed to condemn the IRGC. El-Sayed called the accusations beneath the discourse; Rogers accused him of playing victim. Trump is set to campaign for Rogers in Michigan this weekend.

Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed has repeated his assertion that Israel is "not actually our friend," making the case in interviews with ABC News and MS NOW ahead of his final debate against Republican Mike Rogers. El-Sayed argues Israel has lobbied the U.S. into conflicts, including pushing for action against Iran, and accused the Israeli military of war crimes. He has also faced criticism for deflecting questions about alleged family ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and past appearances with controversial streamer Hasan Piker. At the debate in Detroit, El-Sayed also opposed the SAVE America Act's voter ID and citizenship-proof requirements, calling them voter suppression, while Rogers defended the measure as reasonable. The race remains competitive ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

Republican Mike Rogers, locked in a tight Michigan Senate race against Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, called this week for an immediate end to the US-Canada tariff dispute, marking a reversal from his earlier support for President Trump's trade policy. In a social media ad filmed in a bar, Rogers drinks a Labatt beer and says "Canada is not our enemy," pledging to work across party lines to lower prices for Michigan consumers.

The shift contrasts with Rogers' comments as recently as last month, when he called the tariffs "necessary," and with a post from nearly a year ago crediting Trump's tariffs with restoring "fairness for Michigan workers." El-Sayed accused Rogers of flip-flopping only because his poll numbers have slipped. The tariffs, imposed on Canadian imports in July, have strained Michigan's auto industry, which relies on cross-border supply chains.

In a subsequent debate, Rogers attacked El-Sayed's foreign financing ties and record, while El-Sayed drew criticism for calling a question about whether Iran or Israel poses a greater threat to the US "ridiculous." Rogers made a similar reversal on Iran policy two weeks earlier, part of a broader trend of Republicans in competitive races distancing themselves from Trump.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state Cabinet voted Tuesday to designate the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), its Florida chapter, the Muslim Brotherhood and antifa as domestic terrorist organizations, alongside more than 90 groups already on the federal foreign terrorist list, including al-Qaeda, Iran's IRGC, the Houthis and Mexican drug cartels. The designations, made under new state law HB 1471, are set to take effect Nov. 5 and could strip groups of public funding and contracts, force dissolution, and impose criminal penalties for material support, with added consequences for Florida schools and colleges.

CAIR and civil-liberties groups, including the ACLU and Southern Poverty Law Center, are challenging the action in federal court, arguing it violates First and Fourteenth Amendment protections and lacks evidence of violent conduct. A prior DeSantis executive order against CAIR was previously blocked by a federal judge. State officials, including Attorney General James Uthmeier, defend the designations as necessary to cut off funding to groups they say support terrorism. The legal fight is expected to intensify before the November effective date.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott addressed the Dallas GOP midterm convention, casting November's election as a stark choice between "common sense and crazy" as he seeks a fourth term against Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa. Speaking to a crowd of nearly 15,000, Abbott touted his record on border security, including Texas's own border wall, a sanctuary city ban, and a state crime for illegal crossings, contrasting it with the Biden administration's approach.

He also highlighted laws barring China, Russia, and Iran from purchasing Texas land, an executive order designating the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as terrorist organizations, and a pledge to ban sharia law in the state. Abbott criticized Democrats over energy policy, taxes, and transgender-related issues, linking Hinojosa and other statewide Democratic candidates to positions he characterized as extreme. Polling shows Abbott holding a slight edge over Hinojosa, though Democrats say they see a tightening race heading into the fall.