Democrat Abdul El-Sayed commands largest lead yet over Republican Mike Rogers in closely watched race for Michigan Senate seat
Democrat Abdul El-Sayed has scored his largest polling lead yet over Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan’s closely watched U.S. Senate race, giving Democrats an encouraging sign just weeks before the midterm elections.
Abdul El-Sayed’s largest lead yet
A new Marist poll found El-Sayed leading Rogers by seven points among registered Michigan voters, with 51 percent supporting the Democrat compared with 44 percent backing his Republican opponent. The result matches the largest advantage El-Sayed has recorded since the campaign began in April 2025.
Marist surveyed 1,235 registered Michigan voters between September 24 and 27. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 points.
El-Sayed is seeking to keep the battleground state’s Senate seat in Democratic hands following Sen. Gary Peters’ surprise retirement. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 Senate majority, making Michigan an important part of Democrats’ effort to regain control of the chamber in November.
The latest result continues a strong polling stretch for El-Sayed. Susquehanna Polling and Research found him leading Rogers 46 percent to 39 percent among 800 likely voters in August. A Suffolk University Boston survey conducted earlier in September similarly put El-Sayed ahead 47 percent to 40 percent.
Other polls
Other surveys have also generally shown El-Sayed leading, though often by smaller margins.
The Marist poll indicates El-Sayed is receiving particularly strong support from younger voters, women and college graduates. Among Gen Z and millennial voters, El-Sayed led Rogers 67 percent to 28 percent. Women favored El-Sayed 53 percent to 41 percent, while college graduates backed him 60 percent to 35 percent.
The contest is much closer among independents, with El-Sayed receiving 48 percent support compared with Rogers’ 45 percent — a three-point difference that falls within the poll’s margin of error.
Abdul El-Sayed’s platform
El-Sayed has campaigned on a progressive platform that includes Medicare for All, taxes on billionaire wealth, environmental protections and negotiations over prescription-drug prices. His campaign says its agenda also focuses on removing corporate money from politics and putting “money in your pocket.”
The Democratic candidate entered the general election after overcoming substantial outside spending supporting Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens during the primary. Outside groups spent more than $50 million backing Stevens, including $30 million from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
He also received primary backing from Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.