Democratic Senate Nominee Abdul El-Sayed Weaponizes Conservative Media Praise in Unconventional ‘Michigan First’ Television Ad
In an aggressive move that upends conventional partisan advertising, Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed released a six-figure television commercial featuring glowing commentary from Fox News personalities and prominent right-wing figures to target his Republican opponent, former congressman Mike Rogers.
The 30-second spot, titled “Michigan First,” represents an unorthodox crossover pitch designed to bypass standard party messaging in one of the cycle’s most pivotal battlegrounds. Speaking directly to conservative and independent viewers, El-Sayed begins by establishing unexpected populist common ground:
“We agree on a lot,” El-Sayed says directly to the camera, citing mutual frustration with Washington party establishments, demanding the full public release of the Jeffrey Epstein investigative files, and calling for an end to foreign military expenditures that consume federal tax dollars.
He then points to a video monitor behind him, assembling an eye-catching montage of conservative media praise:
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Jesse Watters (Fox News): “You gotta respect Abdul because he beat the machine,” with a follow-up clip cautioning that Rogers will “have to deal with this guy.”
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Lara Trump (RNC Co-Chair): Complimenting El-Sayed on-air as “a great speaker.”
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Tucker Carlson: Flatly rebuking Rogers, stating: “I wouldn’t vote for Mike Rogers at gunpoint.”
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Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.): Highlighting that establishment super PACs poured roughly $65 million into negative ads during the primary, only for El-Sayed to secure the nomination anyway.
El-Sayed caps the ad with a nod to populist framing: “Because for me, it’s Michigan First, and we can agree on that.”
A Calculated Battleground Gamble
The media blitz lands in a contest where every percentage point counts. Michigan remains a critical battleground for control of the U.S. Senate, with El-Sayed holding a narrow 1.9-point lead over Rogers in the RealClearPolitics polling average.
Rather than deploying standard progressive messaging, the campaign is betting that anti-establishment rhetoric—validated by conservative media icons—can peel away disaffected working-class voters and right-leaning independents who are skeptical of traditional party veterans like Rogers.
Rogers, a former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee who has leaned heavily on traditional national security credentials and economic recovery themes, has campaigned on painting his opponent’s agenda as overly radical for Michigan’s industrial heartland. However, El-Sayed’s use of Tucker Carlson’s sharp rebuke complicates Republican efforts to present a unified conservative front against him.
