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By Joe Edwards
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The Detroit Free Press, Michigan’s largest newspaper, has endorsed Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed over his Republican rival Mike Rogers in Michigan’s Senate race.
"On Nov. 3, Michiganders should vote to send ABDUL EL-SAYED to the U.S. Senate," the publication said in an editorial endorsement published online Sunday.
"Everything you’ve heard about Michigan’s U.S. Senate race is true: An extremist is asking voters to send him to Washington, masking an agenda far out of step with Michigan's mainstream under the pretense of normalcy. If elected, this man would urge America down a dark path, changing the shape of our nation, perhaps irrevocably," the Detroit Free Press wrote. "But that man is not Abdul El-Sayed."
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The paper also favored Democratic candidates during the last two Michigan U.S. Senate elections.
Newsweek reached out to El-Sayed and Rogers’ campaigns for comment, via email and online contact form, respectively, outside of business hours on Monday.
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Why the Michigan Senate Race Matters in the 2026 Midterms
Michigan represents one of the key midterm races as the Democratic Party hopes to flip control of the Senate. Failing to secure the seat being vacated by Democratic Senator Gary Peters would make their path more challenging.
What Did the Detroit Free Press Say About El-Sayed, Rogers?
The paper’s editorial board cited El-Sayed’s public health record and focus on health care, labor rights and corporate influence, suggesting he offered voters optimism and an alternative to the political status quo.
However, it described his public health career as "impressive, but abbreviated" and also noted that he has never held elected office.
"He can be quick to offer simplistic answers to complex problems. He can bristle when there’s opportunity to be conciliatory," it wrote.
As for Rogers, the Detroit Free Press acknowledged his service in the U.S. Army and FBI, as well as his lengthy experience in state and federal office. It criticized his positions on health care, tariffs, reproductive rights and same-sex marriage, and questioned his commitment to accepting election results.
"Rogers presents himself as a ‘common sense’ candidate who will save Michigan from the ‘dangerous’ El-Sayed, a descriptor laden with racist subtext unbecoming of any would-be leader," the editorial board wrote, adding later: "There's an extremist in this race, all right, and it's the election denier who's willing to deprive Michiganders of essential rights."
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List of Endorsements for Abdul El-Sayed
According to a list compiled by election resource Ballotpedia, El-Sayed has been endorsed by the following figures:
- United States Senator Chris Van Hollen (D)
- United States Senator Edward Markey (D)
- United States Senator Bernie Sanders (Independent)
- United States Senator Tina Smith (D)
- United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D)
- United States Representative Greg Casar (D)
- United States Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman (D)
- United States Representative Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D)
- United States Representative Adelita Grijalva (D)
- United States Representative Pramila Jayapal (D)
- United States Representative Ro Khanna (D)
- United States Representative Summer Lee (D)
- United States Representative Analilia Mejia (D)
- United States Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D)
- United States Representative Ilhan Omar (D)
- United States Representative Ayanna Pressley (D)
- United States Representative Delia Ramirez (D)
- United States Representative Lateefah Simon (D)
- United States Representative Haley Stevens (D)
- United States Representative Rashida Tlaib (D)
- Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D)
- State Senator Rosemary Bayer (D)
- State Senator Darrin Camilleri (D)
- State Senator Mary Cavanagh (D)
- State Senator Stephanie Chang (D)
- State Senator Jeff Irwin (D)
- State Senator Mallory McMorrow (D)
- State Representative Erin Byrnes (D)
- State Representative Emily Dievendorf (D)
- State Representative Alabas Farhat (D)
- State Representative Kara Hope (D)
- State Representative Donavan McKinney (D)
- State Representative Reggie Miller (D)
- State Representative Cynthia Neeley (D)
- State Representative Tonya Myers Phillips (D)
- State Representative Laurie Pohutsky (D)
- State Representative Christopher Rabb (D)
- State Representative Carrie Rheingans (D)
- State Representative Dylan Wegela (D)
- State Representative Jimmie Wilson Jr. (D)
- Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud (D)
- Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley (D)
- Wayne County Executive Warren Evans (D)
- Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D)
- State Board of Education Member Tiffany Tilley (D)
- Hill Harper (D)
- Former United States Representative David Bonior (D)
- Former United States Representative Jamaal Bowman (D)
- Former State Representative Bob Constan (D)
- Former State Representative Jim Ellison (D)
- Former Vice President Kamala Harris (D)
- Former State Representative Rachel Hood (D)
- Former United States Representative Andy Levin (D)
- Former State Representative Leslie Love (D)
Mike Rogers vs Abdul El-Sayed Polls
Multiple recent polls placed El-Sayed slightly ahead of Rogers in a tight race.
A New York Times/Siena poll released Thursday showed El-Sayed at 49 percent and Rogers at 44 percent support among likely voters.
A Rasmussen Reports survey, also released Thursday, found that El-Sayed was leading Rogers by three percentage points—47 percent to 44 percent.
An Emerson College poll published mid-September found that 48 percent of Michigan voters supported El-Sayed, while 46 percent supported Rogers. Four percent were undecided.
Polls offer a snapshot of opinion when they are conducted and are not a guarantee of the final election result. According to Pew Research Center, some polls have also previously underestimated support for Republican candidates.
Latest Developments in the Michigan Senate Race
El-Sayed has released several social media posts in recent days reiterating campaign messages, including "Medicare for All" and "money out of politics."
"Mike Rogers and Donald Trump think that their proximity to power is worth more than your ability to live your life," read another post from El-Sayed.
Rogers, meanwhile, issued posts questioning El-Sayed’s medical credentials and attacking his stance on Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
"To this day, Abdul is still misrepresenting himself as a physician to voters," Rogers wrote in one post. "He isn’t."
"@AbdulElSayed is more worried about Gaza than your gas prices. We need a Senator focused on Michigan," read another.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Tobias Meyjes and Tony Phillips.
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