7 stories credited to Bridge Michigan
Latest story Sep 23, 2026 · on ChamberLight since Apr 2026
A story can appear as several articles (copies of the same piece), so counts of stories and of articles differ.
Scores for Bridge Michigan
Writing quality not enough rated stories yet: 6 of 10. How it is measured
Scores last checked Sep 25, 2026.
Stories ChamberLight collected, by month
Stories credited to Bridge Michigan, by publication date. ChamberLight collects articles that mention the officials it tracks, so this shows its own coverage of this source, not how much the source publishes.
- Stories from Bridge Michigan
- Shaded: ChamberLight collected no stories, or almost none, from any outlet (a gap in its collection, not in the outlet’s publishing)
Show as a table
| Month | Stories | All outlets |
|---|---|---|
| April 2026 | 2 | 4,010 |
| May 2026 | 0 | none collected |
| June 2026 | 0 | none collected |
| July 2026 | 0 | none collected |
| August 2026 | 0 | 1 (collection gap) |
| September 2026 | 5 | 598 |
Top topics
Share of this source’s stories tagged with each topic. A story can carry several topics, so the shares do not add up to 100%.
- Healthcare4
57% of 7 stories · 7% across all outlets
- Economy3
43% of 7 stories · 25% across all outlets
- Foreign Policy3
43% of 7 stories · 29% across all outlets
- Ethics/Corruption2
29% of 7 stories · 60% across all outlets
- Budget/Spending1
14% of 7 stories · 32% across all outlets
- Taxes1
14% of 7 stories · 5% across all outlets
- Voting Rights1
14% of 7 stories · 19% across all outlets
The thin mark on each bar is the topic’s share across all outlets.
Who they cover
Party of the officials these stories are mainly about, across all 7 officials named. A story counts once for each official it is mainly about, so the split is over 13 story–official pairs, from 7 stories.
- Party not recorded46% · 6 pairs
- Republican31% · 4 pairs
- Democrat23% · 3 pairs
Most covered
Stories mainly about each official, and their share of the source’s 7 stories.
Article tone
ChamberLight’s article analysis assigns each story a tone toward the official it covers. It describes the coverage of that official, not Bridge Michigan’s stance, and reader votes do not change it. 7 stories.
- Good Look
- 0 (0%)
- Mixed
- 7 (100%)
- Informational
- 0 (0%)
- Bad Look
- 0 (0%)
Challenges to these scores
No one has challenged a score on this page yet. Anyone can; editors publish every outcome here.
Articles served from bridgemi.com
13
Fact check: John James’ link to data center tax breaks, donations
New attack ads claim Michigan governor candidate John James voted for data center tax breaks in Congress and is funded by data center developers. Here are the facts.
Kamala Harris joins Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan: ‘The stakes are so high’
Campaigning with Abdul El-Sayed in Detroit, Kamala Harris said the midterm elections offer a potential 'stopgap' halfway through Donald Trump’s turbulent second presidency.
Where Michigan governor candidates stand on rural government crisis
As townships struggle with leadership voids and money woes, GOP candidate John James backs reform. Democrat Jocelyn Benson supports local control.
Mike Rogers wants a job in the US Senate. What'd he do in the House?
* Republican US Senate nominee Mike Rogers served in Congress for 14 years, focusing on national security, healthcare and more * Rogers is tying his background to new policy proposals like putting shop classes in every school and building more affordable housing * Democratic opponent Abdul El-Saye
Could healthcare price transparency lower costs? Mike Rogers thinks so
As healthcare costs grow ever higher, Michigan GOP US Senate candidate Mike Rogers argues that better consumer awareness of how much the services they need cost will help bring prices down.
Could healthcare price transparency lower costs? Mike Rogers thinks so
As healthcare costs grow ever higher, Michigan GOP US Senate candidate Mike Rogers argues that better consumer awareness of how much the services they need cost will help bring prices down.
Mallory McMorrow raises big bucks from small dollar donors in US Senate race
US Senate candidate Mallory McMorrow pulled ahead of Democratic competition in fundraising at the beginning of 2026 Republican Mike Rogers maintains the largest cash on hand of any candidate in the race Challengers in some Michigan congressional districts reported strong fundraising LANSING — A surge in small dollar donations propelled state Sen. Mallory McMorrow past her rivals in the fundraising race for Michigan’s highly competitive Democratic US Senate primary, according to new filings with the Federal Election Commission. McMorrow raised more than $3 million in the first three months of the year, compared to about $2.3 million from former Wayne County health director Abdul El-Sayed and $2 million from US Rep. Haley Stevens. For the quarter, McMorrow topped fellow Democrats in multiple respects — raising more through small donations, more from donors with Michigan addresses and from a wider swath of the state, according to her FEC report. She also ended the period with slightly more cash on hand than Stevens, who had led the primary field. More than half of McMorrow’s donations were unitemized, about $1.6 million worth, meaning they were from donors who had given her campaign less than $200 in total for the election cycle. Her campaign said she had received contributions from more than 70,000 people since the start of the year. RELATED: A millennial showdown in Michigan’s high-stakes US Senate race 6 major issues in Michigan’s US Senate race El-Sayed courts college voters, controversy with Hasan Piker The breakdown shows growth from McMorrow in her support from grassroots donors, who made up about 45% of her fundraising the previous three months. “This is absolutely huge,” McMorrow said in a video announcing the fundraising total. “We are doing something incredible together that nobody thought we could.” McMorrow built a national fundraising presence as a state legislator after a 2022 viral floor speech in the Michigan Capitol raised her profile nationwide and in Michigan, prompting a deluge of donations from throughout the country. State Senate Majority Whip and US Senate Candidate Mallory McMorrow makes a campaign stop to speak to people at Kelly’s Downtown in Lansing, on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (Rod Sanford for Bridge Michigan) El-Sayed had about $596,000 in small unitemized donations, and Stevens $271,000. Because the smaller donations don’t trigger FEC reporting requirements, campaigns don’t have to reveal how much of that support came from within Michigan. Donate McMorrow also disclosed new contributions from some significant donors, including from scions of two media empires. James Murdoch, a son of Rupert Murdoch who sits on the board of Fox News, donated $3,500, as did his wife. J. Sebastian Scripps, who remains a major shareholder in the E.W. Scripps news company, also gave McMorrow $3, 500. Six employees of Anthropic, the developer of AI chatbot Claude, also cut her $3,500 checks. Money alone doesn’t decide elections, and polling suggests the Democratic candidates are locked in a tight race headed toward the Aug. 4 primary. US Sen. Gary Peters, a Democrat, is not seeking reelection to the post. Rogers maintains cash edge Republican Mike Rogers — who has been essentially uncontested in his own primary — maintained the largest cash on hand of any of the candidates, ending the quarter with about $4.2 million in the bank. He raised about $2.2 million over the quarter. “The future of our state and country are riding on this race, and we are fighting every day to earn working families’ support,” spokesperson Alyssa Brouillet said in a statement. His campaign said he raised money from donors in all of Michigan’s 83 counties. Rogers also picked up a significant media industry backer in KC Crain, owner of Crain Communications, who gave him $7,000. He also received checks of similar size from major GOP donors Roger Penske and Suzanne DeVos. US Senate candidate Mike Rogers (Dale G Young for Bridge Michigan) Rogers also has a super PAC devoted to supporting him, the Great Lakes Conservatives Fund, that can accept unlimited contributions. Penske also gave $250,000 to that account in March. The super PAC has more than $6.2 million in the bank, underscoring the likelihood that outside groups will outspend candidate campaigns in the race, a trend seen in Michigan’s last three US Senate elections. Overall spending in Michigan’s US Senate races topped $200 million in both 2020 and 2024, when Rogers narrowly lost to Sen. Elissa Slotkin. Outside groups such as the Senate Leadership Fund and Sentinel Action Fund have already pledged to spend significant money to help Rogers win this year. Rogers challenger flounders While Democratic candidates have been forced to spend significant campaign cash in their bruising primary, Rogers has not faced a similar challenge. Former state party co-chair Bernadette Smith, who is attempting to make the ballot and challenge Rogers in the GOP primary, raised just $39,000 in the last quarter but spent $46,000, according to her federal disclosure. It appears the bulk of her campaign’s spending came from the cost of hosting a fundraiser that brought in little money. Smith paid $5,554 to a company owned by Michael Flynn, a former national security advisor under President Donald Trump who headlined her Jan. 19 fundraiser at Noto’s Old World Italian Dining in Grand Rapids. Another guest, conservative attorney Thomas Renz, was paid $4,000 as a campaign consultant three days before the fundraiser, according to Smith’s filing. The campaign also paid nearly $3,000 for related airfare and lodging. Smith had asked supporters to pay $20 each to attend, according to an invitation, but Flynn had suggested attendees pay more. “You want to scratch another couple zeroes on those checks, be my guest,” Flynn said in remarks at the fundraiser, according to a video posted by Smith’s campaign. “Because I know one thing, this gal knows how to stretch a dollar.” US House races heat up The 7th Congressional District surrounding Lansing is home to Michigan’s sole toss-up US House race, according to Cook Political Report ratings. Incumbent GOP Rep. Tom Barrett, first elected two years ago, raised nearly $1.3 million for the quarter and ended it with $2.8 million in the bank. In the competitive three-day Democratic primary, former Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam led in fundraising, taking in more than $700,000, but at least 80% of his donations originated from outside Michigan. It’s a similar story with former ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink, who raised much of her $608,000 from outside the state. Progressive activists Will Lawrence brought in only $216,000, but nearly half of that was small-dollar contributions from donors within or near the congressional district. In Michigan’s 4th Congressional District, which surrounds Kalamazoo and Cook rates as leaning Republican, Democratic state Sen. Sean McCann outraised GOP Rep. Bill Huizenga for the quarter as he looks to unseat the eight-term House member. McCann raised about $1 million in the first three months of 2026. Huizenga brought in $635,000 but ended the period with nearly twice as much cash on hand as McCann. In the Grand Rapids-area 3rd Congressional District, longtime weathercaster Terri DeBoer reported raising $243,000 in less than a month after announcing her campaign to challenge incumbent Democratic Rep. Hillary Scholten. DeBoer’s disclosure report showed a litany of influential west Michigan GOP donors coalescing around her campaign, including the DeVos family, Dan Hibma, J.C. Huizenda and former state party chair Ron Weiser. Scholten raised about $400,000 for the quarter and had $1.2 million in the bank.
Mallory McMorrow raises big bucks from small dollar donors in US Senate race
US Senate candidate Mallory McMorrow pulled ahead of Democratic competition in fundraising at the beginning of 2026 Republican Mike Rogers maintains the largest cash on hand of any candidate in the race Challengers in some Michigan congressional districts reported strong fundraising LANSING — A surge in small dollar donations propelled state Sen. Mallory McMorrow past her rivals in the fundraising race for Michigan’s highly competitive Democratic US Senate primary, according to new filings with the Federal Election Commission. McMorrow raised more than $3 million in the first three months of the year, compared to about $2.3 million from former Wayne County health director Abdul El-Sayed and $2 million from US Rep. Haley Stevens. For the quarter, McMorrow topped fellow Democrats in multiple respects — raising more through small donations, more from donors with Michigan addresses and from a wider swath of the state, according to her FEC report. She also ended the period with slightly more cash on hand than Stevens, who had led the primary field. More than half of McMorrow’s donations were unitemized, about $1.6 million worth, meaning they were from donors who had given her campaign less than $200 in total for the election cycle. Her campaign said she had received contributions from more than 70,000 people since the start of the year. RELATED: A millennial showdown in Michigan’s high-stakes US Senate race 6 major issues in Michigan’s US Senate race El-Sayed courts college voters, controversy with Hasan Piker The breakdown shows growth from McMorrow in her support from grassroots donors, who made up about 45% of her fundraising the previous three months. “This is absolutely huge,” McMorrow said in a video announcing the fundraising total. “We are doing something incredible together that nobody thought we could.” McMorrow built a national fundraising presence as a state legislator after a 2022 viral floor speech in the Michigan Capitol raised her profile nationwide and in Michigan, prompting a deluge of donations from throughout the country. State Senate Majority Whip and US Senate Candidate Mallory McMorrow makes a campaign stop to speak to people at Kelly’s Downtown in Lansing, on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (Rod Sanford for Bridge Michigan) El-Sayed had about $596,000 in small unitemized donations, and Stevens $271,000. Because the smaller donations don’t trigger FEC reporting requirements, campaigns don’t have to reveal how much of that support came from within Michigan. Donate McMorrow also disclosed new contributions from some significant donors, including from scions of two media empires. James Murdoch, a son of Rupert Murdoch who sits on the board of Fox News, donated $3,500, as did his wife. J. Sebastian Scripps, who remains a major shareholder in the E.W. Scripps news company, also gave McMorrow $3, 500. Six employees of Anthropic, the developer of AI chatbot Claude, also cut her $3,500 checks. Money alone doesn’t decide elections, and polling suggests the Democratic candidates are locked in a tight race headed toward the Aug. 4 primary. US Sen. Gary Peters, a Democrat, is not seeking reelection to the post. Rogers maintains cash edge Republican Mike Rogers — who has been essentially uncontested in his own primary — maintained the largest cash on hand of any of the candidates, ending the quarter with about $4.2 million in the bank. He raised about $2.2 million over the quarter. “The future of our state and country are riding on this race, and we are fighting every day to earn working families’ support,” spokesperson Alyssa Brouillet said in a statement. His campaign said he raised money from donors in all of Michigan’s 83 counties. Rogers also picked up a significant media industry backer in KC Crain, owner of Crain Communications, who gave him $7,000. He also received checks of similar size from major GOP donors Roger Penske and Suzanne DeVos. US Senate candidate Mike Rogers (Dale G Young for Bridge Michigan) Rogers also has a super PAC devoted to supporting him, the Great Lakes Conservatives Fund, that can accept unlimited contributions. Penske also gave $250,000 to that account in March. The super PAC has more than $6.2 million in the bank, underscoring the likelihood that outside groups will outspend candidate campaigns in the race, a trend seen in Michigan’s last three US Senate elections. Overall spending in Michigan’s US Senate races topped $200 million in both 2020 and 2024, when Rogers narrowly lost to Sen. Elissa Slotkin. Outside groups such as the Senate Leadership Fund and Sentinel Action Fund have already pledged to spend significant money to help Rogers win this year. Rogers challenger flounders While Democratic candidates have been forced to spend significant campaign cash in their bruising primary, Rogers has not faced a similar challenge. Former state party co-chair Bernadette Smith, who is attempting to make the ballot and challenge Rogers in the GOP primary, raised just $39,000 in the last quarter but spent $46,000, according to her federal disclosure. It appears the bulk of her campaign’s spending came from the cost of hosting a fundraiser that brought in little money. Smith paid $5,554 to a company owned by Michael Flynn, a former national security advisor under President Donald Trump who headlined her Jan. 19 fundraiser at Noto’s Old World Italian Dining in Grand Rapids. Another guest, conservative attorney Thomas Renz, was paid $4,000 as a campaign consultant three days before the fundraiser, according to Smith’s filing. The campaign also paid nearly $3,000 for related airfare and lodging. Smith had asked supporters to pay $20 each to attend, according to an invitation, but Flynn had suggested attendees pay more. “You want to scratch another couple zeroes on those checks, be my guest,” Flynn said in remarks at the fundraiser, according to a video posted by Smith’s campaign. “Because I know one thing, this gal knows how to stretch a dollar.” US House races heat up The 7th Congressional District surrounding Lansing is home to Michigan’s sole toss-up US House race, according to Cook Political Report ratings. Incumbent GOP Rep. Tom Barrett, first elected two years ago, raised nearly $1.3 million for the quarter and ended it with $2.8 million in the bank. In the competitive three-day Democratic primary, former Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam led in fundraising, taking in more than $700,000, but at least 80% of his donations originated from outside Michigan. It’s a similar story with former ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink, who raised much of her $608,000 from outside the state. Progressive activists Will Lawrence brought in only $216,000, but nearly half of that was small-dollar contributions from donors within or near the congressional district. In Michigan’s 4th Congressional District, which surrounds Kalamazoo and Cook rates as leaning Republican, Democratic state Sen. Sean McCann outraised GOP Rep. Bill Huizenga for the quarter as he looks to unseat the eight-term House member. McCann raised about $1 million in the first three months of 2026. Huizenga brought in $635,000 but ended the period with nearly twice as much cash on hand as McCann. In the Grand Rapids-area 3rd Congressional District, longtime weathercaster Terri DeBoer reported raising $243,000 in less than a month after announcing her campaign to challenge incumbent Democratic Rep. Hillary Scholten. DeBoer’s disclosure report showed a litany of influential west Michigan GOP donors coalescing around her campaign, including the DeVos family, Dan Hibma, J.C. Huizenda and former state party chair Ron Weiser. Scholten raised about $400,000 for the quarter and had $1.2 million in the bank.
Mallory McMorrow raises big bucks from small dollar donors in US Senate race
US Senate candidate Mallory McMorrow pulled ahead of Democratic competition in fundraising at the beginning of 2026 Republican Mike Rogers maintains the largest cash on hand of any candidate in the race Challengers in some Michigan congressional districts reported strong fundraising LANSING — A surge in small dollar donations propelled state Sen. Mallory McMorrow past her rivals in the fundraising race for Michigan’s highly competitive Democratic US Senate primary, according to new filings with the Federal Election Commission. McMorrow raised more than $3 million in the first three months of the year, compared to about $2.3 million from former Wayne County health director Abdul El-Sayed and $2 million from US Rep. Haley Stevens. For the quarter, McMorrow topped fellow Democrats in multiple respects — raising more through small donations, more from donors with Michigan addresses and from a wider swath of the state, according to her FEC report. She also ended the period with slightly more cash on hand than Stevens, who had led the primary field. More than half of McMorrow’s donations were unitemized, about $1.6 million worth, meaning they were from donors who had given her campaign less than $200 in total for the election cycle. Her campaign said she had received contributions from more than 70,000 people since the start of the year. RELATED: A millennial showdown in Michigan’s high-stakes US Senate race 6 major issues in Michigan’s US Senate race El-Sayed courts college voters, controversy with Hasan Piker The breakdown shows growth from McMorrow in her support from grassroots donors, who made up about 45% of her fundraising the previous three months. “This is absolutely huge,” McMorrow said in a video announcing the fundraising total. “We are doing something incredible together that nobody thought we could.” McMorrow built a national fundraising presence as a state legislator after a 2022 viral floor speech in the Michigan Capitol raised her profile nationwide and in Michigan, prompting a deluge of donations from throughout the country. State Senate Majority Whip and US Senate Candidate Mallory McMorrow makes a campaign stop to speak to people at Kelly’s Downtown in Lansing, on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (Rod Sanford for Bridge Michigan) El-Sayed had about $596,000 in small unitemized donations, and Stevens $271,000. Because the smaller donations don’t trigger FEC reporting requirements, campaigns don’t have to reveal how much of that support came from within Michigan. Donate McMorrow also disclosed new contributions from some significant donors, including from scions of two media empires. James Murdoch, a son of Rupert Murdoch who sits on the board of Fox News, donated $3,500, as did his wife. J. Sebastian Scripps, who remains a major shareholder in the E.W. Scripps news company, also gave McMorrow $3, 500. Six employees of Anthropic, the developer of AI chatbot Claude, also cut her $3,500 checks. Money alone doesn’t decide elections, and polling suggests the Democratic candidates are locked in a tight race headed toward the Aug. 4 primary. US Sen. Gary Peters, a Democrat, is not seeking reelection to the post. Rogers maintains cash edge Republican Mike Rogers — who has been essentially uncontested in his own primary — maintained the largest cash on hand of any of the candidates, ending the quarter with about $4.2 million in the bank. He raised about $2.2 million over the quarter. “The future of our state and country are riding on this race, and we are fighting every day to earn working families’ support,” spokesperson Alyssa Brouillet said in a statement. His campaign said he raised money from donors in all of Michigan’s 83 counties. Rogers also picked up a significant media industry backer in KC Crain, owner of Crain Communications, who gave him $7,000. He also received checks of similar size from major GOP donors Roger Penske and Suzanne DeVos. US Senate candidate Mike Rogers (Dale G Young for Bridge Michigan) Rogers also has a super PAC devoted to supporting him, the Great Lakes Conservatives Fund, that can accept unlimited contributions. Penske also gave $250,000 to that account in March. The super PAC has more than $6.2 million in the bank, underscoring the likelihood that outside groups will outspend candidate campaigns in the race, a trend seen in Michigan’s last three US Senate elections. Overall spending in Michigan’s US Senate races topped $200 million in both 2020 and 2024, when Rogers narrowly lost to Sen. Elissa Slotkin. Outside groups such as the Senate Leadership Fund and Sentinel Action Fund have already pledged to spend significant money to help Rogers win this year. Rogers challenger flounders While Democratic candidates have been forced to spend significant campaign cash in their bruising primary, Rogers has not faced a similar challenge. Former state party co-chair Bernadette Smith, who is attempting to make the ballot and challenge Rogers in the GOP primary, raised just $39,000 in the last quarter but spent $46,000, according to her federal disclosure. It appears the bulk of her campaign’s spending came from the cost of hosting a fundraiser that brought in little money. Smith paid $5,554 to a company owned by Michael Flynn, a former national security advisor under President Donald Trump who headlined her Jan. 19 fundraiser at Noto’s Old World Italian Dining in Grand Rapids. Another guest, conservative attorney Thomas Renz, was paid $4,000 as a campaign consultant three days before the fundraiser, according to Smith’s filing. The campaign also paid nearly $3,000 for related airfare and lodging. Smith had asked supporters to pay $20 each to attend, according to an invitation, but Flynn had suggested attendees pay more. “You want to scratch another couple zeroes on those checks, be my guest,” Flynn said in remarks at the fundraiser, according to a video posted by Smith’s campaign. “Because I know one thing, this gal knows how to stretch a dollar.” US House races heat up The 7th Congressional District surrounding Lansing is home to Michigan’s sole toss-up US House race, according to Cook Political Report ratings. Incumbent GOP Rep. Tom Barrett, first elected two years ago, raised nearly $1.3 million for the quarter and ended it with $2.8 million in the bank. In the competitive three-day Democratic primary, former Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam led in fundraising, taking in more than $700,000, but at least 80% of his donations originated from outside Michigan. It’s a similar story with former ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink, who raised much of her $608,000 from outside the state. Progressive activists Will Lawrence brought in only $216,000, but nearly half of that was small-dollar contributions from donors within or near the congressional district. In Michigan’s 4th Congressional District, which surrounds Kalamazoo and Cook rates as leaning Republican, Democratic state Sen. Sean McCann outraised GOP Rep. Bill Huizenga for the quarter as he looks to unseat the eight-term House member. McCann raised about $1 million in the first three months of 2026. Huizenga brought in $635,000 but ended the period with nearly twice as much cash on hand as McCann. In the Grand Rapids-area 3rd Congressional District, longtime weathercaster Terri DeBoer reported raising $243,000 in less than a month after announcing her campaign to challenge incumbent Democratic Rep. Hillary Scholten. DeBoer’s disclosure report showed a litany of influential west Michigan GOP donors coalescing around her campaign, including the DeVos family, Dan Hibma, J.C. Huizenda and former state party chair Ron Weiser. Scholten raised about $400,000 for the quarter and had $1.2 million in the bank.
Mallory McMorrow raises big bucks from small dollar donors in US Senate race
US Senate candidate Mallory McMorrow pulled ahead of Democratic competition in fundraising at the beginning of 2026 Republican Mike Rogers maintains the largest cash on hand of any candidate in the race Challengers in some Michigan congressional districts reported strong fundraising LANSING — A surge in small dollar donations propelled state Sen. Mallory McMorrow past her rivals in the fundraising race for Michigan’s highly competitive Democratic US Senate primary, according to new filings with the Federal Election Commission. McMorrow raised more than $3 million in the first three months of the year, compared to about $2.3 million from former Wayne County health director Abdul El-Sayed and $2 million from US Rep. Haley Stevens. For the quarter, McMorrow topped fellow Democrats in multiple respects — raising more through small donations, more from donors with Michigan addresses and from a wider swath of the state, according to her FEC report. She also ended the period with slightly more cash on hand than Stevens, who had led the primary field. More than half of McMorrow’s donations were unitemized, about $1.6 million worth, meaning they were from donors who had given her campaign less than $200 in total for the election cycle. Her campaign said she had received contributions from more than 70,000 people since the start of the year. RELATED: A millennial showdown in Michigan’s high-stakes US Senate race 6 major issues in Michigan’s US Senate race El-Sayed courts college voters, controversy with Hasan Piker The breakdown shows growth from McMorrow in her support from grassroots donors, who made up about 45% of her fundraising the previous three months. “This is absolutely huge,” McMorrow said in a video announcing the fundraising total. “We are doing something incredible together that nobody thought we could.” McMorrow built a national fundraising presence as a state legislator after a 2022 viral floor speech in the Michigan Capitol raised her profile nationwide and in Michigan, prompting a deluge of donations from throughout the country. State Senate Majority Whip and US Senate Candidate Mallory McMorrow makes a campaign stop to speak to people at Kelly’s Downtown in Lansing, on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (Rod Sanford for Bridge Michigan) El-Sayed had about $596,000 in small unitemized donations, and Stevens $271,000. Because the smaller donations don’t trigger FEC reporting requirements, campaigns don’t have to reveal how much of that support came from within Michigan. Donate McMorrow also disclosed new contributions from some significant donors, including from scions of two media empires. James Murdoch, a son of Rupert Murdoch who sits on the board of Fox News, donated $3,500, as did his wife. J. Sebastian Scripps, who remains a major shareholder in the E.W. Scripps news company, also gave McMorrow $3, 500. Six employees of Anthropic, the developer of AI chatbot Claude, also cut her $3,500 checks. Money alone doesn’t decide elections, and polling suggests the Democratic candidates are locked in a tight race headed toward the Aug. 4 primary. US Sen. Gary Peters, a Democrat, is not seeking reelection to the post. Rogers maintains cash edge Republican Mike Rogers — who has been essentially uncontested in his own primary — maintained the largest cash on hand of any of the candidates, ending the quarter with about $4.2 million in the bank. He raised about $2.2 million over the quarter. “The future of our state and country are riding on this race, and we are fighting every day to earn working families’ support,” spokesperson Alyssa Brouillet said in a statement. His campaign said he raised money from donors in all of Michigan’s 83 counties. Rogers also picked up a significant media industry backer in KC Crain, owner of Crain Communications, who gave him $7,000. He also received checks of similar size from major GOP donors Roger Penske and Suzanne DeVos. US Senate candidate Mike Rogers (Dale G Young for Bridge Michigan) Rogers also has a super PAC devoted to supporting him, the Great Lakes Conservatives Fund, that can accept unlimited contributions. Penske also gave $250,000 to that account in March. The super PAC has more than $6.2 million in the bank, underscoring the likelihood that outside groups will outspend candidate campaigns in the race, a trend seen in Michigan’s last three US Senate elections. Overall spending in Michigan’s US Senate races topped $200 million in both 2020 and 2024, when Rogers narrowly lost to Sen. Elissa Slotkin. Outside groups such as the Senate Leadership Fund and Sentinel Action Fund have already pledged to spend significant money to help Rogers win this year. Rogers challenger flounders While Democratic candidates have been forced to spend significant campaign cash in their bruising primary, Rogers has not faced a similar challenge. Former state party co-chair Bernadette Smith, who is attempting to make the ballot and challenge Rogers in the GOP primary, raised just $39,000 in the last quarter but spent $46,000, according to her federal disclosure. It appears the bulk of her campaign’s spending came from the cost of hosting a fundraiser that brought in little money. Smith paid $5,554 to a company owned by Michael Flynn, a former national security advisor under President Donald Trump who headlined her Jan. 19 fundraiser at Noto’s Old World Italian Dining in Grand Rapids. Another guest, conservative attorney Thomas Renz, was paid $4,000 as a campaign consultant three days before the fundraiser, according to Smith’s filing. The campaign also paid nearly $3,000 for related airfare and lodging. Smith had asked supporters to pay $20 each to attend, according to an invitation, but Flynn had suggested attendees pay more. “You want to scratch another couple zeroes on those checks, be my guest,” Flynn said in remarks at the fundraiser, according to a video posted by Smith’s campaign. “Because I know one thing, this gal knows how to stretch a dollar.” US House races heat up The 7th Congressional District surrounding Lansing is home to Michigan’s sole toss-up US House race, according to Cook Political Report ratings. Incumbent GOP Rep. Tom Barrett, first elected two years ago, raised nearly $1.3 million for the quarter and ended it with $2.8 million in the bank. In the competitive three-day Democratic primary, former Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam led in fundraising, taking in more than $700,000, but at least 80% of his donations originated from outside Michigan. It’s a similar story with former ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink, who raised much of her $608,000 from outside the state. Progressive activists Will Lawrence brought in only $216,000, but nearly half of that was small-dollar contributions from donors within or near the congressional district. In Michigan’s 4th Congressional District, which surrounds Kalamazoo and Cook rates as leaning Republican, Democratic state Sen. Sean McCann outraised GOP Rep. Bill Huizenga for the quarter as he looks to unseat the eight-term House member. McCann raised about $1 million in the first three months of 2026. Huizenga brought in $635,000 but ended the period with nearly twice as much cash on hand as McCann. In the Grand Rapids-area 3rd Congressional District, longtime weathercaster Terri DeBoer reported raising $243,000 in less than a month after announcing her campaign to challenge incumbent Democratic Rep. Hillary Scholten. DeBoer’s disclosure report showed a litany of influential west Michigan GOP donors coalescing around her campaign, including the DeVos family, Dan Hibma, J.C. Huizenda and former state party chair Ron Weiser. Scholten raised about $400,000 for the quarter and had $1.2 million in the bank.
Abdul El-Sayed courts college voters, controversy in Michigan Senate stop
Democratic US Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed appealed to young voters at Michigan State and was expected at University of Michigan Campaign appearances with internet streamer Hasan Piker drew criticism from other US Senate candidates and advocacy groups El-Sayed criticized Iran war and reiterated campaign themes of Medicare for All and removing corporate influence from politics EAST LANSING — In an appeal to college students, Michigan Democratic US Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed on Tuesday vowed to continue pushing for affordable health care, less corporate influence in politics and an end to the Iran war — even when it invites controversy. El-Sayed spoke to a crowd of hundreds at Michigan State University, where he was joined by Hasan Piker, a progressive political commentator and internet personality with a large following who has faced accusations of antisemitism. “I’m not talking down to young people — I’m talking specifically to the challenges they face, because I believe that they’ve got the greatest stake in our future, and we need to build a politics that is responsive to them,” El-Sayed told reporters after the speech in East Lansing. “If we’re serious about building a politics that unlocks for the folks who feel locked out, you’ve got to be serious about going to the places where they actually are,” he continued. RELATED: For Democrats, a millennial showdown in Michigan US Senate race 6 major issues in Michigan’s US Senate race Senate hopeful Mike Rogers floats copays, high-risk pools for health care El-Sayed, Piker and US Rep. Summer Lee of Pennsylvania were also expected to rally with students at the University of Michigan later Tuesday in an attempt to rally the kind of young voters who propelled progressive US Sen. Bernie Sanders to victory in the state’s 2016 presidential primary. Posters lay on lecture hall tables before a campaign event with streamer Hasan Piker and Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive candidate in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Michigan, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) With three candidates currently locked in a statistical dead heat, Michigan’s Democratic US Senate primary is viewed by state and national observers alike as a fight for the future of the party. Strong support among college students — a reliably Democratic faction — could be a key. El-Sayed’s decision to campaign with Piker drew heavy criticism from his political opponents and Jewish advocacy groups. In remarks at Michigan State, Piker said he didn’t realize how much backlash his involvement would generate, but he told college students gathered at the event that he would “do it again just the same, regardless.” “He’s a real fighter,” Piker said of El-Sayed. “He’s honest, he doesn’t treat people like they’re stupid. He understands that voters have demands, and he will respond to those demands.” Donate El-Sayed, a former Wayne County public health official and 2018 candidate for governor, is in a highly competitive Democratic primary with US Rep. Haley Stevens and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow. The winner will likely face Mike Rogers, a Republican who on Tuesday said in a statement that El-Sayed’s decision to campaign with Piker proves “there’s no limit to how far left Democrats will go.” A controversial surrogate With more than 3 million followers, the 34-year-old Piker is one of the most popular figures on Twitch, a live-streaming video platform where he regularly offers political and social commentary. On Monday, for instance, Piker streamed from Michigan, offering live reactions to President Donald Trump’s White House press conference on the Iran war. “Will he do terror tomorrow?” Piker asked in the stream, which had about 30,000 realtime viewers, according to one analytics site, and had been watched more than 730,000 times by Tuesday morning. By comparison, about 523,000 people had watched the White House’s YouTube stream of the Trump press conference as of Tuesday morning. Piker’s oft-irreverent criticism of US foreign policy and Israel has drawn rebukes. In 2019, Piker suggested during a livestream that the US “deserved 9/11,” though he later called it an inappropriate attempt at satire. In a January social media post, he called Hamas “a thousand times better than the fascist settler colonial apartheid state.” “The decision to appear with Piker is yet another example of the growing normalization of extreme anti-Zionism in mainstream spaces,” Elyssa Schmeir, regional director of ADL Michigan, said in a statement. Buttons lay on a table before a campaign event with streamer Hasan Piker and Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive candidate in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Michigan, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Both Stevens and McMorrow have said they were concerned about El-Sayed’s willingness to give a platform to Piker’s controversial views. In separate comments to Jewish Insider last month, Stevens said Piker is “the exact opposite of someone I’d be campaigning with,” and McMorrow likened Piker to a left-wing version of Nick Fuentes, a white nationalist and conservative livestreamer. Rogers also criticized the connection. A social media video released by the Rogers campaign ahead of the rallies highlighted several of Piker’s past comments and argued that El-Sayed’s willingness to appear with Piker makes him “too radical for Michigan.” Ahead of the speech, Michigan State University President Kevin M. Guskiewicz and the MSU Board of Trustees said universities have “a role in supporting free speech and encouraging diversity of thought,” but acknowledged the “pain and concern” past comments have caused. In criticizing Israel’s military actions in Gaza and Iran, Piker has said he opposes the Israeli government, not Jewish people. Addressing his critics Tuesday, Piker said simply: “Fuck ‘em.” “For the last two and a half years, they smeared people like myself and people like yourselves and said that we were radical, we were wrong,” he said. “And yet we persevered, and we understood the violence that was taking place.” Denouncing Iran war In his remarks at Michigan State, El-Sayed said he loves and reveres Jewish people but criticized Israel’s actions in the Middle East, saying he “will not sit idly by while our tax dollars go to fund a genocide on behalf of a foreign government.” “When you stand up and say, ‘That’s some bullshit,’” they come at you,” he told the East Lansing crowd. El-Sayed said he wants to see taxpayer dollars currently being spent on the Iran war redirected toward domestic needs, arguing that there is “no legal authorization” for President Donald Trump to continue the conflict. bdul El-Sayed spoke to a crowd of supporters at a Michigan State University lecture hall Tuesday and was slated to speak at the University of Michigan later Tuesday evening. (Lauren Gibbons/Bridge Michigan) His comments came shortly before Trump announced a two-week ceasefire in Iran, backing off his Tuesday morning warning that a “whole civilization will die” if the country did not agree to his demands for ending the war. If elected to the Senate, El-Sayed promised to vote against any funding authorization to continue the war. “It’s not enough to hold the seat if you’re going to do exactly the same thing your MAGA opponent would have done,” he said. A student focus El-Sayed said his campaign is working to prioritize young voters by meeting them where they’re at. That includes moving beyond the traditional media circuit and engaging with livestreamers like Piker and other alternative media sources popular among young adults. “Too often, politicians are having this debate that is completely divorced from the lived experience of young people,” he told reporters Tuesday. “And then we show up on Election Day like, ‘How come young people didn’t vote?’ Well, you didn’t give them anything to vote for.” El-Sayed’s message to a largely student audience featured several longtime policy focuses of his campaign, including support for a Medicare for All government-run health care system, improving economic affordability and removing corporate influence on politics. He also reiterated his support for abolishing US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal agency on the frontlines of Trump’s mass deportation campaign. Josh Reformado, a student fellow for the campaign who spoke ahead of the East Lansing rally, highlighted the role Gen Z played in electing New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdami, arguing Michigan’s youth could make a similar difference this fall. “We can no longer have…elites tell us that we’re not part of the political system, as we are the ones that are suffering from it,” he said. “It’s time for Gen Z to fight in this room, and fight all across Michigan.”
Abdul El-Sayed courts college voters, controversy in Michigan Senate stop
Democratic US Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed appealed to young voters at Michigan State and was expected at University of Michigan Campaign appearances with internet streamer Hasan Piker drew criticism from other US Senate candidates and advocacy groups El-Sayed criticized Iran war and reiterated campaign themes of Medicare for All and removing corporate influence from politics EAST LANSING — In an appeal to college students, Michigan Democratic US Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed on Tuesday vowed to continue pushing for affordable health care, less corporate influence in politics and an end to the Iran war — even when it invites controversy. El-Sayed spoke to a crowd of hundreds at Michigan State University, where he was joined by Hasan Piker, a progressive political commentator and internet personality with a large following who has faced accusations of antisemitism. “I’m not talking down to young people — I’m talking specifically to the challenges they face, because I believe that they’ve got the greatest stake in our future, and we need to build a politics that is responsive to them,” El-Sayed told reporters after the speech in East Lansing. “If we’re serious about building a politics that unlocks for the folks who feel locked out, you’ve got to be serious about going to the places where they actually are,” he continued. RELATED: For Democrats, a millennial showdown in Michigan US Senate race 6 major issues in Michigan’s US Senate race Senate hopeful Mike Rogers floats copays, high-risk pools for health care El-Sayed, Piker and US Rep. Summer Lee of Pennsylvania were also expected to rally with students at the University of Michigan later Tuesday in an attempt to rally the kind of young voters who propelled progressive US Sen. Bernie Sanders to victory in the state’s 2016 presidential primary. Posters lay on lecture hall tables before a campaign event with streamer Hasan Piker and Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive candidate in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Michigan, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) With three candidates currently locked in a statistical dead heat, Michigan’s Democratic US Senate primary is viewed by state and national observers alike as a fight for the future of the party. Strong support among college students — a reliably Democratic faction — could be a key. El-Sayed’s decision to campaign with Piker drew heavy criticism from his political opponents and Jewish advocacy groups. In remarks at Michigan State, Piker said he didn’t realize how much backlash his involvement would generate, but he told college students gathered at the event that he would “do it again just the same, regardless.” “He’s a real fighter,” Piker said of El-Sayed. “He’s honest, he doesn’t treat people like they’re stupid. He understands that voters have demands, and he will respond to those demands.” Donate El-Sayed, a former Wayne County public health official and 2018 candidate for governor, is in a highly competitive Democratic primary with US Rep. Haley Stevens and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow. The winner will likely face Mike Rogers, a Republican who on Tuesday said in a statement that El-Sayed’s decision to campaign with Piker proves “there’s no limit to how far left Democrats will go.” A controversial surrogate With more than 3 million followers, the 34-year-old Piker is one of the most popular figures on Twitch, a live-streaming video platform where he regularly offers political and social commentary. On Monday, for instance, Piker streamed from Michigan, offering live reactions to President Donald Trump’s White House press conference on the Iran war. “Will he do terror tomorrow?” Piker asked in the stream, which had about 30,000 realtime viewers, according to one analytics site, and had been watched more than 730,000 times by Tuesday morning. By comparison, about 523,000 people had watched the White House’s YouTube stream of the Trump press conference as of Tuesday morning. Piker’s oft-irreverent criticism of US foreign policy and Israel has drawn rebukes. In 2019, Piker suggested during a livestream that the US “deserved 9/11,” though he later called it an inappropriate attempt at satire. In a January social media post, he called Hamas “a thousand times better than the fascist settler colonial apartheid state.” “The decision to appear with Piker is yet another example of the growing normalization of extreme anti-Zionism in mainstream spaces,” Elyssa Schmeir, regional director of ADL Michigan, said in a statement. Buttons lay on a table before a campaign event with streamer Hasan Piker and Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive candidate in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Michigan, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Both Stevens and McMorrow have said they were concerned about El-Sayed’s willingness to give a platform to Piker’s controversial views. In separate comments to Jewish Insider last month, Stevens said Piker is “the exact opposite of someone I’d be campaigning with,” and McMorrow likened Piker to a left-wing version of Nick Fuentes, a white nationalist and conservative livestreamer. Rogers also criticized the connection. A social media video released by the Rogers campaign ahead of the rallies highlighted several of Piker’s past comments and argued that El-Sayed’s willingness to appear with Piker makes him “too radical for Michigan.” Ahead of the speech, Michigan State University President Kevin M. Guskiewicz and the MSU Board of Trustees said universities have “a role in supporting free speech and encouraging diversity of thought,” but acknowledged the “pain and concern” past comments have caused. In criticizing Israel’s military actions in Gaza and Iran, Piker has said he opposes the Israeli government, not Jewish people. Addressing his critics Tuesday, Piker said simply: “Fuck ‘em.” “For the last two and a half years, they smeared people like myself and people like yourselves and said that we were radical, we were wrong,” he said. “And yet we persevered, and we understood the violence that was taking place.” Denouncing Iran war In his remarks at Michigan State, El-Sayed said he loves and reveres Jewish people but criticized Israel’s actions in the Middle East, saying he “will not sit idly by while our tax dollars go to fund a genocide on behalf of a foreign government.” “When you stand up and say, ‘That’s some bullshit,’” they come at you,” he told the East Lansing crowd. El-Sayed said he wants to see taxpayer dollars currently being spent on the Iran war redirected toward domestic needs, arguing that there is “no legal authorization” for President Donald Trump to continue the conflict. bdul El-Sayed spoke to a crowd of supporters at a Michigan State University lecture hall Tuesday and was slated to speak at the University of Michigan later Tuesday evening. (Lauren Gibbons/Bridge Michigan) His comments came shortly before Trump announced a two-week ceasefire in Iran, backing off his Tuesday morning warning that a “whole civilization will die” if the country did not agree to his demands for ending the war. If elected to the Senate, El-Sayed promised to vote against any funding authorization to continue the war. “It’s not enough to hold the seat if you’re going to do exactly the same thing your MAGA opponent would have done,” he said. A student focus El-Sayed said his campaign is working to prioritize young voters by meeting them where they’re at. That includes moving beyond the traditional media circuit and engaging with livestreamers like Piker and other alternative media sources popular among young adults. “Too often, politicians are having this debate that is completely divorced from the lived experience of young people,” he told reporters Tuesday. “And then we show up on Election Day like, ‘How come young people didn’t vote?’ Well, you didn’t give them anything to vote for.” El-Sayed’s message to a largely student audience featured several longtime policy focuses of his campaign, including support for a Medicare for All government-run health care system, improving economic affordability and removing corporate influence on politics. He also reiterated his support for abolishing US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal agency on the frontlines of Trump’s mass deportation campaign. Josh Reformado, a student fellow for the campaign who spoke ahead of the East Lansing rally, highlighted the role Gen Z played in electing New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdami, arguing Michigan’s youth could make a similar difference this fall. “We can no longer have…elites tell us that we’re not part of the political system, as we are the ones that are suffering from it,” he said. “It’s time for Gen Z to fight in this room, and fight all across Michigan.”
Abdul El-Sayed courts college voters, controversy in Michigan Senate stop
Democratic US Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed appealed to young voters at Michigan State and was expected at University of Michigan Campaign appearances with internet streamer Hasan Piker drew criticism from other US Senate candidates and advocacy groups El-Sayed criticized Iran war and reiterated campaign themes of Medicare for All and removing corporate influence from politics EAST LANSING — In an appeal to college students, Michigan Democratic US Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed on Tuesday vowed to continue pushing for affordable health care, less corporate influence in politics and an end to the Iran war — even when it invites controversy. El-Sayed spoke to a crowd of hundreds at Michigan State University, where he was joined by Hasan Piker, a progressive political commentator and internet personality with a large following who has faced accusations of antisemitism. “I’m not talking down to young people — I’m talking specifically to the challenges they face, because I believe that they’ve got the greatest stake in our future, and we need to build a politics that is responsive to them,” El-Sayed told reporters after the speech in East Lansing. “If we’re serious about building a politics that unlocks for the folks who feel locked out, you’ve got to be serious about going to the places where they actually are,” he continued. RELATED: For Democrats, a millennial showdown in Michigan US Senate race 6 major issues in Michigan’s US Senate race Senate hopeful Mike Rogers floats copays, high-risk pools for health care El-Sayed, Piker and US Rep. Summer Lee of Pennsylvania were also expected to rally with students at the University of Michigan later Tuesday in an attempt to rally the kind of young voters who propelled progressive US Sen. Bernie Sanders to victory in the state’s 2016 presidential primary. Posters lay on lecture hall tables before a campaign event with streamer Hasan Piker and Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive candidate in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Michigan, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) With three candidates currently locked in a statistical dead heat, Michigan’s Democratic US Senate primary is viewed by state and national observers alike as a fight for the future of the party. Strong support among college students — a reliably Democratic faction — could be a key. El-Sayed’s decision to campaign with Piker drew heavy criticism from his political opponents and Jewish advocacy groups. In remarks at Michigan State, Piker said he didn’t realize how much backlash his involvement would generate, but he told college students gathered at the event that he would “do it again just the same, regardless.” “He’s a real fighter,” Piker said of El-Sayed. “He’s honest, he doesn’t treat people like they’re stupid. He understands that voters have demands, and he will respond to those demands.” Donate El-Sayed, a former Wayne County public health official and 2018 candidate for governor, is in a highly competitive Democratic primary with US Rep. Haley Stevens and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow. The winner will likely face Mike Rogers, a Republican who on Tuesday said in a statement that El-Sayed’s decision to campaign with Piker proves “there’s no limit to how far left Democrats will go.” A controversial surrogate With more than 3 million followers, the 34-year-old Piker is one of the most popular figures on Twitch, a live-streaming video platform where he regularly offers political and social commentary. On Monday, for instance, Piker streamed from Michigan, offering live reactions to President Donald Trump’s White House press conference on the Iran war. “Will he do terror tomorrow?” Piker asked in the stream, which had about 30,000 realtime viewers, according to one analytics site, and had been watched more than 730,000 times by Tuesday morning. By comparison, about 523,000 people had watched the White House’s YouTube stream of the Trump press conference as of Tuesday morning. Piker’s oft-irreverent criticism of US foreign policy and Israel has drawn rebukes. In 2019, Piker suggested during a livestream that the US “deserved 9/11,” though he later called it an inappropriate attempt at satire. In a January social media post, he called Hamas “a thousand times better than the fascist settler colonial apartheid state.” “The decision to appear with Piker is yet another example of the growing normalization of extreme anti-Zionism in mainstream spaces,” Elyssa Schmeir, regional director of ADL Michigan, said in a statement. Buttons lay on a table before a campaign event with streamer Hasan Piker and Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive candidate in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Michigan, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Both Stevens and McMorrow have said they were concerned about El-Sayed’s willingness to give a platform to Piker’s controversial views. In separate comments to Jewish Insider last month, Stevens said Piker is “the exact opposite of someone I’d be campaigning with,” and McMorrow likened Piker to a left-wing version of Nick Fuentes, a white nationalist and conservative livestreamer. Rogers also criticized the connection. A social media video released by the Rogers campaign ahead of the rallies highlighted several of Piker’s past comments and argued that El-Sayed’s willingness to appear with Piker makes him “too radical for Michigan.” Ahead of the speech, Michigan State University President Kevin M. Guskiewicz and the MSU Board of Trustees said universities have “a role in supporting free speech and encouraging diversity of thought,” but acknowledged the “pain and concern” past comments have caused. In criticizing Israel’s military actions in Gaza and Iran, Piker has said he opposes the Israeli government, not Jewish people. Addressing his critics Tuesday, Piker said simply: “Fuck ‘em.” “For the last two and a half years, they smeared people like myself and people like yourselves and said that we were radical, we were wrong,” he said. “And yet we persevered, and we understood the violence that was taking place.” Denouncing Iran war In his remarks at Michigan State, El-Sayed said he loves and reveres Jewish people but criticized Israel’s actions in the Middle East, saying he “will not sit idly by while our tax dollars go to fund a genocide on behalf of a foreign government.” “When you stand up and say, ‘That’s some bullshit,’” they come at you,” he told the East Lansing crowd. El-Sayed said he wants to see taxpayer dollars currently being spent on the Iran war redirected toward domestic needs, arguing that there is “no legal authorization” for President Donald Trump to continue the conflict. bdul El-Sayed spoke to a crowd of supporters at a Michigan State University lecture hall Tuesday and was slated to speak at the University of Michigan later Tuesday evening. (Lauren Gibbons/Bridge Michigan) His comments came shortly before Trump announced a two-week ceasefire in Iran, backing off his Tuesday morning warning that a “whole civilization will die” if the country did not agree to his demands for ending the war. If elected to the Senate, El-Sayed promised to vote against any funding authorization to continue the war. “It’s not enough to hold the seat if you’re going to do exactly the same thing your MAGA opponent would have done,” he said. A student focus El-Sayed said his campaign is working to prioritize young voters by meeting them where they’re at. That includes moving beyond the traditional media circuit and engaging with livestreamers like Piker and other alternative media sources popular among young adults. “Too often, politicians are having this debate that is completely divorced from the lived experience of young people,” he told reporters Tuesday. “And then we show up on Election Day like, ‘How come young people didn’t vote?’ Well, you didn’t give them anything to vote for.” El-Sayed’s message to a largely student audience featured several longtime policy focuses of his campaign, including support for a Medicare for All government-run health care system, improving economic affordability and removing corporate influence on politics. He also reiterated his support for abolishing US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal agency on the frontlines of Trump’s mass deportation campaign. Josh Reformado, a student fellow for the campaign who spoke ahead of the East Lansing rally, highlighted the role Gen Z played in electing New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdami, arguing Michigan’s youth could make a similar difference this fall. “We can no longer have…elites tell us that we’re not part of the political system, as we are the ones that are suffering from it,” he said. “It’s time for Gen Z to fight in this room, and fight all across Michigan.”