Jason Turkish, a civil rights attorney, Democratic donor, and the fiancé of U.S. Representative Haley Stevens, has announced that he intends to vote for Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan’s high-stakes U.S. Senate election. Turkish made his voting decision public less than a week before the November 3 election, breaking ranks with his party after supporting Rep. Stevens during her primary bid against Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed.
Speaking publicly about his choice, Turkish explained that his misgivings regarding El-Sayed intensified following the August primary election. He accused the Democratic nominee of escalating antisemitic rhetoric and argued that his persistent criticism of Israel has tangible consequences for the safety of Jewish residents throughout Michigan. Turkish pointed directly to El-Sayed’s frequent use of the term genocide when discussing the conflict in Gaza, asserting that such language correlates with a rise in direct threats against Jewish community members.
“Every time he talks about genocide, Jews get death threats,” Turkish said. He added that he had initially hoped El-Sayed would use the general election campaign to mend fractures within the Democratic Party following a primary contest heavily shaped by divergent views on Israel. Instead, Turkish maintained that the campaign has widened those divisions, characterizing the rhetoric as reckless toward community safety. Framing his decision to back the Republican candidate, Turkish described the move as putting country before party.
Turkish’s public break with the Democratic nominee followed his attendance at an October 28 campaign event for Rogers held at the Townsend Hotel in Birmingham. The forum, sponsored by the Republican Jewish Coalition, centered largely on Jewish security, the October 7 attacks, and a prior incident involving Temple Israel.
Rep. Stevens previously endorsed El-Sayed following an August 4 Democratic unity breakfast, though she has not actively campaigned alongside him since that initial gathering. During a Sunday appearance on CNN, Stevens was questioned by host Dana Bash regarding whether she remained fully supportive of El-Sayed. Pointing to her own position on the Democratic ticket, Stevens noted during the interview that she could not endorse every aspect of the campaign’s direction while also praising Rogers for outreach efforts directed toward Black voters in Detroit.
In response to Turkish’s announcement, El-Sayed’s campaign defended its electoral strategy and outreach efforts ahead of Election Day. Roxie Richner, a campaign spokeswoman, stated that El-Sayed remains dedicated to building a broad coalition capable of securing victory in Michigan and helping Democrats reclaim the Senate majority, asserting that their campaign tent is inclusive of all willing participants.
El-Sayed’s general election platform has featured frequent accusations against Israel, including assertions of genocide in Gaza and statements made during an October interview with ABC News describing Israel as a nation that is not a genuine ally and accusing it of entangling the United States in unwanted foreign conflicts. Furthermore, during a recent Senate debate, El-Sayed declined to designate either Israel or Iran as the greater security threat, characterizing both nations as dangerous in distinct ways.
