Michigan Senate race scrutinized in 60 Minutes interviews

The campaign has become increasingly volatile recently, marked by a surprising turn when El-Sayed’s primary opponent, Representative Haley Stevens, publicly endorsed Rogers at a Detroit church service on Sunday, despite being slated to appear with El-Sayed at a campaign event. Stevens stated, “I don’t belong in Abdul’s campaign.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer condemned Stevens’ actions as a “despicable betrayal.”

This contentious race was the focus of a recent 60 Minutes broadcast, featuring interviews with both candidates on topics including the economy, healthcare, and international relations. Former President Donald Trump has voiced his support for Rogers and has criticized El-Sayed. Extended versions of the interviews are now available online to provide transparency to voters.

During the interviews, several claims made by both candidates were examined for accuracy. Rogers alleged that El-Sayed signed a letter supporting the Muslim Brotherhood. While El-Sayed was among 46 Egyptian-Americans who signed a letter to Egypt’s then-president Mohamed Morsi, who was a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, the letter urged action against allies of the previous regime. The U.S. has since designated certain branches of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist entities. El-Sayed denies any affiliation with the group.

El-Sayed accused the Michigan utility DTE of undue political influence, claiming they “buy off almost every politician in our state.” While DTE has made significant contributions to Michigan politicians, 60 Minutes found no evidence of improper payments. El-Sayed also asserted that Rogers amassed $14 million after leaving Congress. Financial disclosures indicate a substantial increase in Rogers’ net worth, but the figure represents net worth, not income, and the $14 million claim could not be verified. Rogers, in turn, characterized El-Sayed as a “Democratic Socialist of America” member, a designation El-Sayed denies, stating, “No. I’m a capitalist.” Rogers also claimed El-Sayed supports defunding the police, a position El-Sayed has since described as a “dumb and unnuanced slogan,” although he has recently advocated for increased police funding.