Michigan’s Democratic US Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed apologized to the state’s Jewish Democratic Caucus on Saturday for comments he made following a March attack on a synagogue, which he previously linked to Israel’s actions in the Middle East, The Guardian reported. This move marks a significant effort by the progressive candidate to mend fences and unify his party ahead of the November midterm elections.
The incident in question occurred when Ayman Mohammad Ghazali, a naturalized US citizen, drove a car into the Temple Israel synagogue in a Detroit suburb. He opened fire on a security guard before taking his own life. Reports indicated that Ghazali had lost four relatives in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon just one week prior to the attack. In a video response issued at the time, El-Sayed condemned the act and the broader issue of antisemitism, but he also noted that “violence is a cycle” and that “hurt people hurt people.”
These specific remarks drew sharp criticism from many, including state Attorney General Dana Nessel, who argued that the comments served to justify the violence. Addressing the caucus at a party convention in Lansing this Saturday, El-Sayed sought to clarify his stance.
El-Sayed has been a vocal critic of military aid to Israel
“My comments may have been misconstrued to justify something I did not mean to justify,” he told reporters. “To anyone who feels like my comments might have been hurtful, I’m really sorry. That was not my intention.” He further explained his thought process, stating, “What I was trying to do was 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.”
This apology is a strategic pivot for El-Sayed as he prepares for a high-stakes matchup against Republican nominee Mike Rogers. The Senate race in Michigan is vital for the Democratic Party, which is looking to secure a net gain of four seats to flip the chamber. The importance of the seat is heightened by the retirement of current Democratic Senator Gary Peters.
While the apology seemed to resonate with some, the path to full party unity remains complex. El-Sayed faces lingering questions regarding his past association with Hasan Piker, a far-left Twitch streamer who campaigned with him during the primary. Piker has faced scrutiny for suggesting that American Jews who support Israel could be met with violence.
Despite these concerns, El-Sayed remains largely dismissive of the focus on Piker. “I don’t want to have a conversation about a Twitch streamer in California. It’s just not a serious conversation,” he told reporters. He emphasized that his campaign is focused on local issues like affordability and religious pluralism, stating, “This is not a campaign that is about a single streamer in California.”
Representative Hillary Scholten has explicitly stated that she will not campaign with El-Sayed as long as he maintains ties to Piker, noting on X that the association is “hurting the chances of a Democratic majority in November.”
Conversely, the atmosphere at the state convention in Lansing appeared more stable than previous gatherings. El-Sayed received significant applause during his nine-minute speech, and some delegates who originally supported his primary opponent, Haley Stevens, expressed that his address helped win them over.
Daniel Rivkin, a delegate and staffer at the University of Michigan, noted that the apology was a necessary step. “That was the first time that I’ve heard him say it in that explicit way,” Rivkin said. “I think there’s a lot of dialogue going on, and that the dialogue will continue.”
El-Sayed plans to continue these discussions, with a scheduled appearance at the Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus Summer Simcha celebration this Sunday. As he looks toward November, his message remains focused on party cohesion against Republican opposition. “And we can show here in Michigan how we can disagree agreeably on some of those issues having to do with what we do 6,000 miles away, and show that we can stand arm in arm to protect the well-being of all of us here at home,” he said.
Published: Aug 30, 2026 05:45 pm