Progressive Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is rekindling Democratic engagement in Michigan, drawing back voters who had abandoned the party over the Biden administration's support for Israel's war on Gaza. In Dearborn — a city with one of the largest Arab-American communities in the United States — former protest voters, including those who chose the "uncommitted" option in the 2024 primaries or backed Green Party candidate Jill Stein, say El-Sayed's pro-Palestinian stance and focus on domestic issues have given them reason to re-engage. Turnout in the 2026 Democratic primaries reached roughly 2.5 million, up from around 2 million in 2024, though some Arab and Muslim voters say their return to the party remains conditional on a broader shift in Democratic policy toward Israel and the conflict in Gaza.