Overview
- A Washington Post–Schar School poll conducted Sept. 10–14 of 803 likely Michigan voters found El‑Sayed leading Republican Mike Rogers 48% to 45% with a ±3.9 point margin of error, putting the contest within the survey’s statistical noise.
- The poll reported that 45% of respondents would not consider a Muslim for president and 46% would not consider an atheist, while 20% said they would not consider a Jewish candidate and 7% said the same about a Christian.
- The unwillingness to back a Muslim presidential candidate is deeply partisan, with 78% of Republicans and 22% of Democrats saying they would not support one, a split that could weaken El‑Sayed’s reach to swing and cross‑party voters.
- Conservative outside groups have amplified identity and association messaging, including a Great Lakes Conservative Fund TV ad that aired in Detroit on the 25th anniversary of 9/11 linking El‑Sayed to leftist streamer Hasan Piker.
- The poll also found 53% of respondents prefer Democratic control of the U.S. Senate versus 45% for Republicans, which helps explain the surge of national spending and why the race is rated a toss‑up by the Cook Political Report.