A Michigan State University poll found about 38% of voters would be less inclined to back a Muslim candidate as advocates urge civic engagement in a close Senate race.
Michigan State University’s Institute for Public Policy and Social Research released the survey Oct. 26. It placed Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed at 48% and Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers at 45.5% among likely voters. About 38% of respondents said they would be less inclined to support a candidate who is Muslim; the institute said that group was much less likely to back El-Sayed. YouGov interviewed 1,000 people in each wave between Oct. 2 and 19.
C-SPAN video of an Oct. 25 rally in Port Huron shows President Donald Trump calling El-Sayed a “jihadist” and saying he was “on the side of the terrorists.” Trump also referred to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and said El-Sayed would need to pass a metal detector before entering the Senate, the video shows.
Trump and Rogers have alleged that El-Sayed has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. El-Sayed denies ties to extremist groups, and The Associated Press reported it found no evidence linking him to the organization.
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud told Al Jazeera that the city had recently faced more threats, including messages sent online and calls to emergency and city lines. Al Jazeera’s report gave no tally or supporting records for the increase. Suehaila Amen, an Arab and Muslim advocate, told the outlet she considered the current atmosphere worse than the period after the Sept. 11 attacks. Hammoud urged residents to “send Abdul to the US Senate,” Al Jazeera reported.
The Associated Press characterized the attacks on Democrats as an effort to mobilize Republican voters by portraying their opponents as threats, amid concerns over inflation, fuel prices and the Iran war. Peters is retiring, leaving the Senate seat open. The Associated Press said the contest could help determine control of the chamber. Michigan voters will choose between El-Sayed and Rogers on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
