BIRMINGHAM, Mich. (Azat TV) – A high-profile Michigan political rift intensified Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2026, when Jason Turkish—a prominent Democratic lawyer, megadonor, and the fiancé of U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens—announced he is crossing party lines to vote for Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers over Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed, as reported by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
Turkish, a disability and discrimination rights attorney who has contributed more than $300,000 to Democratic candidates, made his declaration public just before attending a Rogers campaign event held at the Townsend Hotel in suburban Detroit. Turkish stated that his decision stemmed from escalating concerns regarding El-Sayed’s rhetoric on Israel and the safety of the Jewish community.
A Shift Driven by Foreign Policy and Safety Concerns
Turkish told reporters from the sidelines of the suburban Detroit gathering that his choice was ultimately straightforward, pointing to El-Sayed’s recent public statements. Specifically, Turkish criticized the Democratic nominee for declining to answer whether Iran or Israel poses a greater threat to the United States during a debate with Rogers, and for only softly distancing himself from a political action committee advertisement that blamed Israel for rising grocery prices.
“This choice for me, in the end, was very simple,” Turkish told reporters, as cited by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “I’ve just seen an escalation in his rhetoric since the primary, and it makes folks unsafe. Every time he talks about genocide, Jews get death threats.” Turkish, whose grandparents were Holocaust refugees, acknowledged that crossing party lines was particularly difficult given his professional and financial commitment to the Democratic Party and the federal judiciary.
The political friction between El-Sayed and moderate elements of the Democratic Party dates back to the August primary, in which El-Sayed narrowly defeated Rep. Haley Stevens. Turkish and Stevens met in 2022 during that primary contest and announced their engagement less than a month after Stevens’ defeat.
El-Sayed Focuses on Broad Electoral Stakes
Responding to Turkish’s endorsement of his Republican opponent, Abdul El-Sayed emphasized that the broader Senate election must remain focused on foundational national political battles, including control of the United States Senate and opposition to President Donald Trump’s policy agenda.
“To me, this election is about control of the United States Senate. It’s about putting a check on Donald Trump,” El-Sayed stated, according to reporting by Israel National News. “So if folks see another issue that is more important to them and decide that their disagreement with me on that is bigger than their agreement with me on all these other things, that is their choice.”
El-Sayed has faced sustained scrutiny regarding his foreign policy stances throughout the campaign cycle. During the primary, he opposed American military assistance to Israel and questioned whether the nation has a right to exist, while also characterizing certain Israeli military operations as “bloodthirsty” and accusing Israeli leadership of committing genocide and acting as evil as Hamas. Last week, El-Sayed further argued that Israel should no longer be regarded as an official American ally.
Broader Political Repercussions in Michigan
The high-stakes Michigan Senate race has drawn national attention, with President Donald Trump repeatedly attacking El-Sayed over his positions on Israel and the Jewish community. Trump criticized Jewish voters who might consider supporting the Democratic nominee, further elevating the issue in the final stretch of the campaign.
Despite the high-profile defection from a major Democratic donor and ongoing controversies, El-Sayed expressed confidence in his campaign’s broad coalition-building efforts, asserting that his platform continues to resonate with voters across Michigan who prioritize domestic economic security, healthcare protections, and civil rights.