By Patrick Svitek, CNN
(CNN) — Mike Rogers, the Republican nominee for Senate in Michigan, is stepping up his efforts to appeal to Democrats after their party picked progressive Abdul El-Sayed as their standard-bearer in the battleground race.
In a new video first shared with CNN, Rogers speaks directly to camera to make his case to Democrats disappointed with the outcome of their Tuesday primary. El-Sayed, a former public health official, defeated Rep. Haley Stevens by 1 percentage point after a contentious primary that left hard feelings among supporters of both candidates.
“If you’re among the majority of Democratic voters who woke up on Wednesday feeling, well, hopeless because the person who won does not represent your values, well, just know, there is still hope,” Rogers says. “Michigan deserves a senator who is ready to sit with you, hear from you and represent you.”
Democratic leaders from Washington to Michigan have quickly rallied behind El-Sayed, though Republicans are hoping to emphasize on lingering divisions from the bruising primary. Stevens has already endorsed El-Sayed, and the two hugged at a unity event Thursday. Both have also criticized Rogers and have emphasized stressed the importance of Democrats retaining the seat in November.
In the video, Rogers sits beside his wife, Kristi, and appeals to a handful of voting blocs in particular, such as young people who want more affordable housing. He tells them they “have a home with” his campaign and promises to work hard to earn their support.
El-Sayed has also made a bipartisan pitch. In his victory speech Wednesday, he invited people to join his campaign “if you supported me or you did not support me, if you voted for Vice President [Kamala] Harris in 2024 or you voted for Donald Trump.”
At the same time, El-Sayed has not held back against Rogers, calling him beholden to corporate interests and a candidate who has sought to “lick every single boot Donald Trump owns.”
The issue of the US-Israel relationship was one of the main sources of friction in the Democratic primary. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee spent more than $30 million through its super PAC to go after El-Sayed, a sharp critic of Israel. After he won, the group said its members “remain determined to ensure that voters reject Dr. El-Sayed and his radical anti-Israel agenda in November.”
Rogers doesn’t directly reference Jewish voters in the video but echoes criticisms he has already made over El-Sayed campaigning with Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who previously said America “deserved” the September 11 attacks, a comment for which Piker has since apologized.
“And to the vast majority of people across Michigan who do not want to throw their support behind a campaign filled with anger, divisiveness, calls for violence and views that are out of touch with your values, well, you have a home with us,” Rogers says.
Democrats are set to continue their unification efforts with a rally Friday in Detroit headlined by former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who lives in Michigan.
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