The contest for Michigan’s U.S. Senate seat has moved to “Lean Democrat” in the latest assessment by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, a shift from its previous “Toss Up” designation on the eve of the Nov 3 election. The update follows new data showing Democrat Abdul El-Sayed maintaining a lead over his Republican challenger, Mike Rogers, in a contest that has historically favored Democrats for three decades.
A survey from the Republican-affiliated Trafalgar Group found El-Sayed leading Rogers 47.1% to 45.9% in a poll of 1,087 voters conducted from Oct 31 to Nov 1. While the 1.2 point lead falls within the poll’s 2.9% margin of error, the results suggest a narrow edge for El-Sayed. The race has seen unexpected dynamics, including an endorsement of Rogers by Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens; Republicans have not won a Senate race in the state since 1994.
