Abdul El-Sayed, Michigan’s Democratic Senate nominee, apologized Saturday to the state’s Jewish Democratic Caucus for comments he made in March about a synagogue attack, saying he regretted remarks that many interpreted as justifying violence.
At the Michigan Democratic Party convention in Lansing on August 29, El-Sayed told reporters: “My comments might have been misconstrued to be justifying something I did not intend to justify.” He added, “To anybody who feels like my comments might have been hurtful, I’m really sorry. That was not my intention.”
The apology addressed comments El-Sayed made following the March 12 attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township near Detroit, when he said that “violence is a cycle” and that “hurt people hurt people.” At the time, he had condemned the attack and antisemitism broadly, but Jewish leaders criticized the framing as appearing to justify the violence rather than standing unequivocally with victims.
The Temple Israel attack was carried out by Ayman Ghazali, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Lebanon, who drove an explosive-laden vehicle into the synagogue. Ghazali, who lost family members in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon the week before, died by suicide at the scene. No other fatalities occurred.
El-Sayed elaborated on his position Saturday, telling reporters: “We condemned that terrorist attack. We condemned it outright. What I was trying to do is offer context for why it happened, but it wasn’t the time for context. And you don’t ever want to trample somebody’s pain.” He also said he plans to meet with the Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus again Sunday at a private event.
The apology came as El-Sayed scrambles to unite a fractured Democratic Party ahead of the November general election against Republican former Representative Mike Rogers. The race is critical for Senate control — Democrats need a net gain of four seats to flip the chamber, and Michigan’s seat is considered key to that path.
Jewish voters in Michigan have emerged as a crucial bloc in the race. El-Sayed’s criticism of Israeli government policies and his refusal during the primary to directly answer whether Israel has a right to exist alienated many in the Jewish community. Rogers has actively courted these voters, and some Jewish Democratic leaders formed a “Democrats for Rogers” coalition in August.
During the Saturday convention, El-Sayed also sought to distance himself from far-left Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who campaigned with him during the primary. Piker recently suggested that American Jews’ support for Israel could invite violence, drawing condemnation from Democratic lawmakers. When pressed by reporters about Piker, El-Sayed said the focus on a “single streamer in California” was a distraction from the broader stakes of the election.
Daniel Rivkin, a University of Michigan communications staffer and delegate at the convention, said he considered El-Sayed’s apology sincere. “That was the first time that I’ve heard him say it in that explicit way,” Rivkin told CNN. “I think there’s a lot of dialogue going on, and that the dialogue will continue.”
El-Sayed defeated moderate Representative Haley Stevens in the August primary, despite Stevens receiving tens of millions in spending linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. El-Sayed now faces Rogers, who has positioned himself as an alternative for Jewish voters and other Democrats concerned about El-Sayed’s positions on Israel and Middle East policy.
Sources
- CNN — El-Sayed’s apology to Jewish Democrats, his comments on the Temple Israel attack and the March remarks, the political context of the Senate race, and his dismissal of concerns about Hasan Piker.
- Washington Post — Confirmation of El-Sayed’s apology and his statement that he regretted comments linking the synagogue attack to a broader cycle of violence.
- New York Times — El-Sayed’s remarks about the “hurt people hurt people” comment and the Jewish Democratic reaction.
- Reuters — Details of the Temple Israel attack on March 12, 2026, and the attacker’s identity and motive.
- NBC News — Confirmation that the attack was Hezbollah-inspired terrorism.
- The Hill — Information about the Michigan Senate race dynamics and Jewish voter concerns.
- Axios — Context on the AIPAC spending and the political stakes in the race.
