Multiple outlets report that Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers’ campaign team has asked the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) not to run ads on his behalf in Michigan’s November election against Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed.
According to Axios, Rogers spoke with AIPAC chair Michael Tuchin in Los Angeles last week.
“The next day, AIPAC shelved an already-cut video ad targeting Rogers’ Democratic rival, outspoken Israel critic Abdul El-Sayed,” the outlet wrote.
“The extraordinary tension underscores how far AIPAC’s political standing has fallen amid voters’ anger over the war in Gaza. Even Rogers — a staunchly pro-Israel Republican — fears the group’s public support could be a liability in the Nov. 3 election,” Axios reporter Holly Otterbein said.
Scoop from @axiosalex: "Allies of Mike Rogers, Michigan's GOP nominee for the U.S. Senate, have asked AIPAC not to advertise on his behalf, triggering a rupture with the powerful but polarizing pro-Israel group.
Rogers spoke with AIPAC chair Michael Tuchin in Los Angeles last…
— Holly Otterbein (@hollyotterbein) August 22, 2026
Axios explained further:
The move by Rogers’ team angered AIPAC officials, who had spent more than $30 million to try to defeat El-Sayed in the Democratic primary and prepared to spend millions more to help elect Rogers, according to people familiar with the conversations.
ADVERTISEMENTEl-Sayed made AIPAC a centerpiece of his successful primary campaign, using the group’s spending against him to portray Democratic opponent Haley Stevens as beholden to the pro-Israel lobby.
El-Sayed has called Israel a “rogue state,” accused it of genocide and apartheid, and has declined to say whether Israel has a right to exist as a Jewish state.
That made defeating him a priority for AIPAC, which rarely mounts major spending campaigns in general elections.
Rogers’ team warned AIPAC before the Aug. 4 Democratic primary that it believed El-Sayed would beat Stevens, though AIPAC held out hope Stevens would prevail. The two sides agreed to keep talking.
The Michigan Senate contest between Rogers and El-Sayed will be among the most closely watched in November and is expected to play a critical role in determining which party controls the upper chamber.
Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) noted that some former Biden officials are siding with Rogers in the race.
“We’ve got a candidate in Abdul El-Sayed who wants to abolish ICE. He wants to defund the police,” Scott said.
“Here’s a candidate so radical that even Democrats in Michigan are joining forces for the first time with Republicans to elect Mike Rogers,” he added.
Watch below:
.@votetimscott: “Abdul El-Sayed wants to abolish ICE, he wants to abolish the police. Here’s a candidate so radical even Democrats in Michigan are joining forces for the first time with Republicans to elect Mike Rogers.” pic.twitter.com/8DGxfkoQb7
— Republicans (@Republicans) August 23, 2026
Newsweek has more:
After his primary win, El-Sayed addressed accusations of antisemitism, saying in part, “To my Jewish American sisters and brothers … I want you to know that my commitment to your safety, my commitment to Jewish safety, is the same commitment that I have to the safety of my own daughters.”
ADVERTISEMENTThe outlet reported that talks between Rogers and AIPAC have since halted.
“I welcome any and all support from the pro-Israel community and I’m proud to have their involvement,” Rogers told Axios.
Meanwhile, AIPAC spokesperson Deryn Sousa told the outlet: “We appreciate [former] Rep. Mike Rogers’ welcoming of pro-Israel support. Our members are highly motivated to be involved in this race, and we will be looking at every option to make the case that El-Sayed’s policies are bad for Michigan and bad for America.”
From Michigan and Minnesota Senate primaries to congressional races in New York, Illinois and California, several Democratic nominees prevailed in their races despite millions of AIPAC-affiliated spending aimed at boosting their opponents.
The primary victories come amid an ongoing debate within the Democratic Party over its direction, with progressives pushing for a more left-leaning agenda while some moderates argue that such candidates could be less competitive in swing districts and statewide races.
Some analysts say AIPAC’s role is drawing greater scrutiny in Democratic primaries where debate over U.S. policy toward Israel has exposed divisions within the party, than it will in general elections that are often driven by a broader set of issues between Republican and Democratic candidates.
In its report, Axios noted that a recent Fox News poll found 55 percent of Michigan voters oppose continued U.S. aid to Israel.
It added that both parties believe the economy will play a bigger role in determining who wins than views on Israel.
