# Senate races 2026 **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 28, 2025, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534 "2025-01-28T15:04:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 65
**Author:** ![Hawkeyeop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@Hawkeyeop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkeyeop)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2026, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1282 "2026-11-02T15:24:08Z")
FYI NYT has made all their election coverage free. You just need an account. I do think people are underestimating the possibility of a polling error in the Democrats favor. I’m sure pollsters share some of the doomer sentiment everywhere in Democratic circles and are really worried about another error in the Republican direction and are at least somewhat hedging against it. If they are wrong hedge we might very well see strange states like LA, MS, and MT be competitive. And maybe even Florida. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2026, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1283 "2026-11-02T15:24:17Z")
Her fiancé is a Jewish activist as well as disability rights lawyer and Haley has been reported to be transitioning to Judaism. So she had to make a choice and it seems likely a little domestic brouhaha ultimately pushed her out of the Democratic Party. Mazel tov Haley ---
**Author:** ![JDYanYan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jdyanyan/32/21663_2.png) [@JDYanYan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JDYanYan)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2026, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1284 "2026-11-02T15:29:13Z")
I think abstaining is still pretty ludicrous. Any Democrat elected on Tuesday will he miles less transphobic than their opponent. Democratic leadership can pull them toward the party line. Meanwhile the party line for Republicans is a hair’s breadth away from genocidal rhetoric. Like this is a seat that will probably be on loan to us for 6 years. Letting a Trump ally claim it would be complete malpractice. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2026, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1285 "2026-11-02T15:32:11Z")
I generally agree, but I can’t know exactly how this would make a trans person feel, so I don’t feel it would be appropriate to insist they vote for a transphobe. On the other hat, with regards to Michigan, I am a Jew, so I have no problem telling other Jews (or those, like Stevens, who claim to support Jews) that they’re fucking nuts or bad people if they vote for Rogers based on fears about antisemitism. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2026, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1286 "2026-11-02T15:34:35Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Unity was possibly possible with a small olive branch instead of escalation. I suspect there’s stuff behind the scenes that we don’t know about. It might be stuff that makes Stevens look worse, and explains why El-Sayed wasn’t able to “offer an olive branch”. It might be stuff that makes El-Sayed look worse, and explains why Stevens lashed out. But I’m pretty certain we don’t know the whole story. ---
**Author:** ![JDYanYan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jdyanyan/32/21663_2.png) [@JDYanYan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JDYanYan)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2026, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1287 "2026-11-02T15:35:37Z")
Here’s what I’d say to anyone of any race, gender, color, or creed. (Obviously applicable to Jews and Muslims as well) Don’t let the people, who want to kill you, win out of spite. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2026, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1288 "2026-11-02T15:36:24Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I suspect there’s stuff behind the scenes that we don’t know about. It might be stuff that makes Stevens look worse, and explains why El-Sayed wasn’t able to “offer an olive branch”. It might be stuff that makes El-Sayed look worse, and explains why Stevens lashed out. But I’m pretty certain we don’t know the whole story. Almost certainly. And since Stevens ended up endorsing MAGA, I feel comfortable presuming she’s the one who will end up looking worse once we have the full story. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2026, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1289 "2026-11-02T15:37:40Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > Here is the link I used - not sure if the free views are used up: Works great…thank you!! Here’s another quote from the article: > Nonetheless, Democrats lead by enough that they could win the Senate even if the polls underestimate Republicans by as much as they did in 2016 or 2020. > [@Hawkeyeop](#): > > FYI NYT has made all their election coverage free. You just need an account. Thanks, I’ll check into that! ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2026, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1290 "2026-11-02T15:51:26Z")
Josh Marshall says he thinks it was personal appeals from her fiancé that pushed Stevens over to endorse Rogers: [https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/one-more-michigan-senate-update](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/one-more-michigan-senate-update) ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2026, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1291 "2026-11-02T15:59:28Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > But I’m pretty certain we don’t know the whole story. You may be right. Or not. Dunno. They each had a choice however on what they chose to display publicly for public consumption. Stevens’s choices were horrible but she is not a candidate for Senate right now, and assuming El-Sayed wins, which it looks good for, not going to be a major force in the Progressive wing over the next several years. So his choices are of more importance than hers. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2026, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1292 "2026-11-02T16:03:38Z")
Thanks. The description of the quote is misleading IMO. Here it is: > [@](#): > > “I think we’ve seen the worst of what the Israeli government has done under Netanyahu but don’t forget that we’ve been talking about an illegal apartheid regime for a very, very long time, and that supersedes Netanyahu himself,” El-Sayed said when asked about the extent of his issues with Israeli policy. Your first cite, I think, implied that El-Sayed went beyond criticizing the Israeli government and applied that criticism to Jews per se. This was evidence of his antisemitism, since that cite acknowledged that criticism of the government was NOT inherently antisemitism. That’s not how this reads. “Beyond Netanyahu” seems to mean “and prior governments.” Their framing of that quote is quite disingenuous. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2026, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1293 "2026-11-02T16:05:06Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > That’s not how this reads. “Beyond Netanyahu” seems to mean “and prior governments.” Their framing of that quote is quite disingenuous. I don’t agree, and vast swathes of the Jewish community read it the way I did.the fact is that if he was talking about any other group, we’d know exactly what a dogwhistle is. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2026, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1294 "2026-11-02T16:08:18Z")
Well, my read requires no strenuous interpretation. It’s pretty plain English, regardless of how many people choose to read something into it. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2026, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1295 "2026-11-02T16:08:43Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > I don’t agree, and vast swathes of the Jewish community read it the way I did. Can you give me a cite on this claim? Not saying it’s not true, but I’d like to see what “vast swathes” actually looks like. And social posts or personal anecdotes don’t count. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2026, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1296 "2026-11-02T16:12:59Z")
We would? Sub in the Chinese government. Or the Irish government. I don’t think Chinese Americans or Irish Americans would feel like it was racism directed at them. I don’t know why American Jews are often held accountable for stuff that Israel does, but i don’t think it does if any favors to push that narrative. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2026, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1297 "2026-11-02T16:14:04Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Can you give me a cite on this claim? Not saying it’s not true, but I’d like to see what “vast swathes” actually looks like. [https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/abdul-el-sayed-does-not-speak-for-me/](https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/abdul-el-sayed-does-not-speak-for-me/) > **[Abdul El-Sayed’s Challenge with Jewish Voters](https://jewishdems.org/abdul-el-sayeds-challenge-with-jewish-voters/)** > **[TRUE COLORS: El-Sayed Called Israel ‘Bloodthirsty’ Ahead of Senate Primary Win...](https://matzav.com/true-colors-el-sayed-called-israel-bloodthirsty-ahead-of-senate-primary-win/)** > **[Jewish leaders call on El-Sayed to affirm five commitments](https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_b215337c-b453-4b7e-a463-b6e266c04067.amp.html)** > > (The Center Square) – A coalition of Michigan Jewish leaders says it is concerned by the lack of response from U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed after requesting five commitments from > **[What Would An El-Sayed Win Mean For American Zionism?](https://www.levernews.com/what-would-an-el-sayed-win-mean-for-american-zionism/)** > > Pro-Israel Democrats oppose the Michigan Democrat’s views, yes. But they also fear his election would make them politically irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![Hawkeyeop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@Hawkeyeop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkeyeop)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2026, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1298 "2026-11-02T16:14:52Z")
There really isn’t much he can do if you are going to see dog whistles everywhere. This is pretty explicitly about the Israeli Government. Saying Netanyahu isn’t the only person driving Israel actions doesn’t really seem like a controversial stance. Of course there are other hardliners in the government. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2026, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1299 "2026-11-02T16:14:57Z")
I agree. You (universal you) don’t have to agree with El-Sayed on Isreal, but we should be able to agree that one can be against a Jewish state without being antisemitic. I offer this from 1938: **“I would much rather see a reasonable agreement with the Arabs on the basis of living together than the creation of a Jewish State.”** **“Apart from practical considerations, my awareness of the essential nature of Judaism resists the idea of a Jewish State, with borders, an army and a measure of temporal power, no matter how modest. I am afraid of the inner damage Judaism will sustain, especially from the development of a narrow nationalism within our ranks, against which we have already had to fight strongly, even without a Jewish State.”** Albert Einstein ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2026, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1300 "2026-11-02T16:15:53Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > We would? Sub in the Chinese government. Or the Irish government. How about you sub in Palestinians instead? We cool with saying that Palestinian bloodthirst goes “far beyond Hamas”? That sounds like how Ben Gvir talks. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2026, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1301 "2026-11-02T16:16:56Z")
> [@Hawkeyeop](#): > > There really isn’t much he can do if you are going to see dog whistles everywhere. The Jewish community has literally been begging him to take specific actions, and his response has been “nah, I’m good” at best and “fuck you” at worst. It’s laughable to say that there’s nothing he can do. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534.md?page=64) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534.md?page=66)