When Michigan Rep. Elissa Slotkin announced her candidacy for the Senate early last year, Democrats leveraged her record as a defense hawk and centrist with proven bipartisan appeal. They had high hopes that he would be the ideal candidate to keep the battleground state seat in Democratic hands. .
But now Slotkin’s resume and pro-Israel background threaten to become a liability in a deadlocked race that could change the balance of power in the Senate.
Michigan’s large Arab-American force has been directly affected by Israeli military operations in Gaza and especially Lebanon. And some normally reliable Democratic voters, in their grief and anger, are considering withholding their support for Mr. Slotkin or sitting out the election altogether; That could close the gap he needs to win.
“I’m not going to vote this year,” Nina Saad, 49, said last week over a steaming demitasse cup of black coffee outside one of Dearborn’s many cafes. Neither Slotkin nor her Republican opponent, former Rep. Mike Rogers, offered any messages encouraging her to vote, she said.
“Everyone has the wrong stance on what’s going on overseas,” Saad said of the candidates, adding that her friends and neighbors “all feel the same way.”
The political stakes in this race could not be higher. Democrats are currently struggling to maintain a majority in the Senate with a difference of just two seats. To have a chance of staying in power, you must not only defend incumbents in red states such as Montana and Ohio, but also hold seats in battleground states such as Michigan, where the seat is secured with the retirement of Sen. Debbie Stabenow. must be ensured. .
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