On the day he campaigned with Kamala Harris, Abdul El-Sayed said the 2024 election ended where it did for one reason

Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed campaigned in Detroit alongside former Vice President Kamala Harris as the party works to unify ahead of the November midterm elections. As detailed by Al Jazeera, the visit comes as Democrats try to smooth over internal divisions exposed during a competitive primary season. El-Sayed secured the nomination after defeating four-term congresswoman Haley Stevens and now faces Republican Mike Rogers in the general election.

The appearance took place in Wayne County, the state’s largest Democratic stronghold and home to a large Black electorate that El-Sayed did not win in the August primary. By bringing in Harris, the campaign hopes to strengthen its standing with those voters. It is also looking to address the concerns of white Jewish voters who have historically supported the Democratic Party.

Speaking on Tuesday, hours before he was scheduled to join Harris, El-Sayed discussed the state of the economy. He said her presence was an important step in reaching communities that felt empowered by her voice throughout her political career. “We’re building an electoral coalition here,” El-Sayed said.

El-Sayed thinks 2024 came down to a lack of common ground

Michigan was a major battleground in the 2024 presidential election, which Harris lost to President Donald Trump. A significant factor in that outcome was the state’s large Arab-American voting bloc, which had long been a reliable group for Democrats.

Many of those voters reportedly walked away from the party over Harris’ pro-Israel policies. They also objected to her refusal to distance herself from former President Joe Biden’s unconditional support for the U.S. ally.

Reflecting on those results, El-Sayed said the election ended where it did because “we could not find the places of agreement.” He has emphasized a shared focus on economic struggles as a way to bring voters together, and earlier this month he delivered a message to Black communities in Detroit.

Rogers, who is backed by President Trump, has attempted to frame the joint appearance as a sign of weakness for the Democratic ticket. El-Sayed has pushed back, arguing that building a winning coalition requires addressing differences directly. “We don’t have to agree on everything to understand what is at stake,” he said.

Polling data compiled by 270toWin from September 22 shows El-Sayed leading Rogers 47 percent to 40 percent, with 13 percent of voters undecided or supporting other candidates. Other polls from mid-September have shown a narrower gap ahead of the November 3 general election.