Arab American Voters Turn on Trump in Michigan

Arab American voters who helped deliver Michigan to President Donald Trump in 2024 are moving to Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in this year's Senate race, according to reporting by Politico and Yahoo News.

The shift threatens Republican Mike Rogers, who is already running behind Trump's 2024 numbers in the community.

Hassan Nehme, a former Republican vice chair quoted in the reporting, said the party is "dead in the water" with Arab American voters.

The Numbers

Nearly 400,000 Arab Americans live in Michigan — the highest proportion of any state.

Trump carried Dearborn, the only Arab-majority city in the United States, by six points in 2024.

Rogers lost Dearborn by two points that same year, running behind Trump in the city.

More than 100,000 Jewish voters also live in Michigan, a second community watching this race closely.

Why They Are Leaving

Voters cited the ongoing war in Iran and a slow peace process in Gaza as the reasons for their disillusionment with Trump and his party.

Several Arab American figures who backed Trump in 2024 now say they support El-Sayed, including Imam Husham Al-Husainy and Albert Abbas, who presented Trump with a peace prize in Dearborn.