Former Obama aide declares Jewish Michiganders have a 'moral obligation' to support El-Sayed

Former Obama Aide Urges Michigan Jews to Vote for Abdul El‑Sayed, Prompting a Back‑and‑Forth

Former White House communications director Jon Lovett, a co‑host on the “Pod Save America” podcast, used a Tuesday episode of the show to urge Jewish voters in Michigan to back Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El‑Sayed. In a passionate plea, Lovett said Michigan’s Jewish community “has a moral obligation to support Abdul” in order to safeguard itself from rising antisemitism and the “hatred” he associated with right‑wing politics.

During the podcast, Lovett criticized President Donald Trump’s remarks at a recent rally for Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers, where Trump had called El‑Sayed “the worst candidate for any reason.” Lovett argued that the rhetoric, which he framed as antisemitic, was part of a broader pattern of “dominance and hatred” that could endanger Jewish Americans. He compared two possible futures: one in which Democrats engage in robust debate over Israel and antisemitism, and another in which the right’s divisive politics create a “dangerous” environment for Jews.

The episode also included a reference to a March attack on Temple Israel, a suburban Detroit synagogue. El‑Sayed had responded to the incident with the statement “hurt people, hurt people,” a line that critics have said downplays the seriousness of the attack.

Reaction from the Manhattan Institute

Jesse Arm, Vice President of the Manhattan Institute and a former pollster, criticized Lovett’s remarks in a letter to Fox News Digital. Arm called Lovett “a bitterly partisan hack” and accused him of lecturing Jews on moral obligations while “backing a candidate in Maine with a literal Nazi symbol inked on his chest.” The candidate in question, Graham Platner, suspended his campaign in July after a sexual‑assault allegation that he denied.

Arm went on to condemn El‑Sayed’s response to the Temple Israel attack. He wrote that El‑Sayed’s comment “hurt people, hurt people” was “both immoral and idiotic,” arguing that the senator’s stance would not protect Jewish voters. Arm further said that the hard left was already “in the disgraceful, bigoted place he imagines the right someday going.”

Campaigns and RNC Respond

Fox News Digital reached out to the campaigns of Mike Rogers and Abdul El‑Sayed, as well as the Republican National Committee, in an attempt to obtain comment on the exchange. No responses were received at the time of reporting.

Context

Abdul El‑Sayed is the Democratic nominee in Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat, while Mike Rogers is the Republican challenger. The Senate race has drawn national attention as part of the broader 2026 election cycle. The debate over Jewish voters’ alignment in Michigan reflects wider tensions surrounding antisemitism, political rhetoric, and candidate stances on Israel and religious communities.

The exchange illustrates the polarized environment that has come to characterize the 2026 electoral landscape, with voices from both parties and the media grappling over how best to address antisemitic threats and the role of religious communities in the electoral process.