Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers has asked the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) not to campaign on his behalf, fearing that support from the pro-Israel lobby could harm his chances in Michigan’s November general election, according to reporting from Axios earlier today.
Rogers spoke with AIPAC chair Michael Tuchin in Los Angeles last week. The next day, AIPAC shelved an already-prepared video ad targeting Rogers’s Democratic opponent, Abdul El-Sayed, according to the report. The decision to distance himself from AIPAC infuriated officials in the group, which had already spent over $30 million trying to defeat El-Sayed in the Democratic primary.
Rogers’s aides had warned AIPAC before the Democratic primary that El-Sayed would likely defeat moderate Haley Stevens, but the pro-Israel group pressed ahead with its spending, expecting Stevens to win. El-Sayed, a progressive who has called Israel’s military campaign in Gaza a “genocide,” narrowly defeated Stevens 48.5% to 47.5% on August 4, according to the Associated Press.
Rogers’s campaign believes AIPAC’s involvement has backfired and would continue to be detrimental to defeating El-Sayed in the general election, sources told Axios. The Republican is attempting to appeal to disaffected Jewish voters and a broader coalition without the liability of being associated with the lobby group, which has become increasingly unpopular across the political spectrum.
AIPAC’s standing has shifted dramatically in recent years, particularly since the war in Gaza began in October 2023. The pro-Israel group once enjoyed overwhelming support from both parties; now, Democratic candidates routinely distance themselves from it, and accusing opponents of ties to AIPAC has become a campaign tactic on both sides. Earlier this month, Senator Bernie Sanders called for a ban on super PAC spending in primaries, specifically citing AIPAC’s influence in Michigan.
In Michigan’s Senate race, El-Sayed now challenges Rogers in the general election, a matchup that will help determine which party controls the Senate. If elected, El-Sayed would become the first Muslim U.S. senator. The race has become a focal point for divisions within the Democratic Party over U.S. support for Israel, with El-Sayed’s victory in the primary signaling strength for the party’s progressive wing on the issue.
Sources
- Times of Israel — Rogers’s request to AIPAC and the organization’s response, reported August 22, 2026
- Associated Press — AIPAC’s record spending in the Michigan Democratic primary, El-Sayed’s primary victory margin, and Rogers’s 2024 Senate loss
- Haaretz — Jewish Democrats forming “Democrats for Mike Rogers” group, reported August 22, 2026
