El-Sayed and Rogers Hold Dueling Rallies as Michigan Senate Race Closes

Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic candidate, and Mike Rogers, the Republican candidate, held dueling campaign rallies on Monday evening, on the eve of the US midterm elections. The two are competing for Michigan's seat in the US Senate, one of the two chambers of Congress.

Rogers ended his campaign with a rally in Rochester Hills, Michigan. He described the race as a battle for the "heart and soul of the country," according to Al Jazeera. El-Sayed held his final rally in Detroit with members of the United Auto Workers union. Control of Congress was at stake as the campaign ended, and close Senate races in Alaska and Michigan could help decide which party controls the Senate, Reuters reported.

The race has been shaped by a split within the Democratic Party. El-Sayed defeated Representative Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary earlier this year. On Sunday, Stevens broke ranks and endorsed Rogers over El-Sayed. A feud between the two had spilled into public before she withdrew her support, and Stevens has spoken publicly about her reasons. Party leaders condemned Stevens and rallied behind El-Sayed, according to the Detroit Free Press. MLive reported that El-Sayed raised $2.4 million in a single day after the endorsement.

Major news outlets have described the campaign as bitter. Rogers accused El-Sayed of having ties to terrorist organizations, according to MLive, and Vice President JD Vance rallied for Rogers during the race. El-Sayed's family emigrated from Egypt.

US President Donald Trump said El-Sayed would "invite hordes of jihadis" to the United States. Trump has also called El-Sayed "Abdul Ramadan" and has emphasized his middle name, "Mohammed."

Rogers has also sought support from Black and Jewish voters, groups that typically lean Democratic, the Free Press reported.