Washington Examiner

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.

Michigan's open Senate race is ending in turmoil for Democrats after Rep. Haley Stevens, who lost the primary to nominee Abdul el Sayed, endorsed Republican candidate Mike Rogers. Party leaders including Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer denounced the move, and the Michigan Democratic Party disavowed Stevens. The split overshadowed a final New York Times/Siena poll showing el Sayed with his largest lead of the campaign, far above other recent surveys, prompting the Times's own polling analyst to question whether the result reflected a real Democratic surge or partisan nonresponse bias. The primary was earlier disrupted by a fabricated poll from a fake firm that pushed candidate Mallory McMorrow out of the race.

Two days before Michigan's pivotal Senate election, Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens endorsed Republican nominee Mike Rogers over her own party's nominee, Abdul el Sayed, who had narrowly beaten her in the August primary. The Michigan Democratic Party expelled Stevens in response, and two of her senior congressional aides resigned. Top Democrats including Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi condemned the move, while President Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson praised it. The race for the open seat vacated by retiring Sen. Gary Peters is seen as critical to Senate control, and the episode exposed deep rifts within Michigan's Democratic Party over Israel policy and ideological direction.

El Sayed downplayed the controversy publicly, while progressive figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Zohran Mamdani rallied behind him ahead of Election Day.

Michigan's open Senate race between Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul el Sayed, vying to succeed retiring Sen. Gary Peters, has become a focal point in the fight for Senate control. Rogers is running a well-funded, high-intensity campaign—over $133 million in advertising and millions of door knocks—marking the most serious GOP statewide operation since 2014. Michigan hasn't elected a Republican senator since 1994, but polling shows a competitive race amid broader uncertainty about midterm turnout and Democratic advantages nationally.

If Republicans lose seats elsewhere, Michigan could determine whether the GOP retains a narrow Senate majority via the vice president's tiebreaking vote, making it one of the cycle's most consequential contests.

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has directed the Department of Public Safety to investigate allegations that staff for Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee recruited namesake challenger Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. to siphon votes from Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan. The probe follows New York Times reporting, partly based on a since-retracted account from Peltola's fired former campaign manager, Elisa Rios, describing an internal "ballot composition" effort allegedly involving Peltola's campaign lawyers and senior DSCC aides. The Peltola campaign and DSCC deny involvement, with Peltola calling the controversy "a distraction"; the retired Petersburg teacher also denies running at Democrats' behest, though he has acknowledged a history of backing Peltola and other Democrats.

President Trump called for Peltola's prosecution and removal from the ballot, and the Justice Department has issued fresh subpoenas to Democratic officials believed to be involved in the recruitment effort, building on an existing U.S. Attorney's Office inquiry into Daniel J. Sullivan dating back to summer. The DOJ has also sued to block certification if Sullivan narrowly loses, arguing the scheme amounts to a "conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the electoral process"; Alaska moved to dismiss that suit, calling it meritless, and a federal judge set an expedited schedule with a ruling possible within days. The Alaska Supreme Court previously rejected efforts to remove the challenger Sullivan from the ballot. Sen. Lisa Murkowski joined other Republicans condemning the alleged scheme as voters rank Sen. Sullivan, Peltola, Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., and Gerald Heikes on the Nov. 3 ballot.

Dunleavy has declined to commit to certifying the election if Peltola wins while the investigation is ongoing, saying any finding of illegal conduct "may in fact impact whether somebody is seated in the U.S. Senate" and that officials would weigh whether to involve Senate leadership. House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer has demanded testimony from operatives named in the reporting and threatened subpoenas of his own. Dunleavy's term ends Dec. 7, shortly after Alaska's target date for certifying results.

A new New York Times poll shows appointed Sen. Darline Graham (R-SC) and Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in a near-even race, with Graham leading by less than one point among likely voters. Graham, who took the seat after her brother Lindsey Graham's death and later won a contested GOP primary, faces voter doubts about her experience, with a majority saying she lacks the qualifications for the job. Andrews leads among independents and draws some crossover Republican support, with voters favoring her on the economy and cost of living. Despite the close poll, forecasters still rate the seat as leaning Republican in a state Democrats haven't won statewide since 1998.

Federal prosecutors announced charges against 28 green-card holders as part of "Operation Protect the Vote," alleging they registered or voted as citizens in California; 11 were arrested. Prosecutors say defendants claimed citizenship on registration forms, in some cases voted, then denied citizenship on naturalization paperwork—felony conduct carrying up to five years, with noncitizen voting in a federal election carrying one year. All defendants are presumed innocent. The case follows separate, unrelated Los Angeles prosecutions over paid registrations and forged petitions. Separately, the Department of Justice is seeking a federal court order blocking ballots tied to more than 20,000 flagged "likely" noncitizen registrants, a figure state officials dispute, with California's attorney general questioning discrepancies in Homeland Security's broader estimates.