Sanders Wires $1 Million to El-Sayed to Counter AIPAC in Michigan Senate Race

Sanders Wires $1 Million to El-Sayed to Counter AIPAC in Michigan Senate Race

Sanders Transfers $1 Million After Learning of AIPAC's $9 Million Plan

After learning that AIPAC planned to spend up to $9 million backing Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan's Senate race, Senator Bernie Sanders wired $1 million on Wednesday to Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed and began calling allies for more. By day's end he had lined up an additional $300,000 in pledges from about a dozen Democrats, including Sen. Martin Heinrich.

AIPAC Routes Money Through United Democracy Project

According to The New York Times, citing two people familiar with the group's plans, AIPAC's super PAC United Democracy Project would send up to $9 million to Great Lakes Conservatives Fund, a super PAC dedicated to supporting Rogers. The donations came after an October 14 deadline, meaning they did not have to be disclosed before Election Day. Great Lakes Conservatives Fund then announced a $4.6 million advertising investment in Michigan.

El-Sayed Already Survived a $33 Million Primary Onslaught

AIPAC's super PAC spent $33 million attacking El-Sayed and backing Rep. Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary, according to ad-tracking firm AdImpact. El-Sayed beat Stevens by less than a percentage point. Through September 30, AIPAC had given nearly $25 million to candidates and political committees in 2026, per FEC filings, while UDP contributed $13 million more and spent $53.5 million on independent expenditures.

Sanders Urges Establishment Democrats to Match

Sanders called for moderate and establishment Democrats to match progressive enthusiasm. He suggested Sen. Gary Peters, the retiring Democrat whose seat El-Sayed is seeking, could contribute $1 million from the $7 million to $8 million reportedly in his bank account. El-Sayed's leadership PAC had given $350,000 to support him in the primary.

A Long-Running Feud Over Israel Policy

Sanders has long been an AIPAC critic, warning on X that the group plans to spend $233 million to defeat candidates who speak out against Netanyahu's government, and noting its $33 million primary spending against El-Sayed failed. El-Sayed strongly opposes unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel, while Rogers has said he would accept AIPAC's help to defeat El-Sayed.

Spending gap and turnout will decide it

Michigan's Senate seat is a key battleground. Sanders' $1 million plus $300,000 in pledges still falls well short of AIPAC's $9 million — on top of a $250,000 donation he had already made to El-Sayed's victory fund earlier in October. Both sides are expected to escalate in the final weeks, with turnout and the money gap shaping the outcome.