Mike Rogers, a Republican, currently holds this Senate seat and is running for re-election (of the same name)). Forecasters say it’s too close to call — one of the most competitive races of the year. Abdul El-Sayed, a Democrat, has publicly rejected support from AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobbying group. Mike Rogers, a Republican, shows a record of donations linked to AIPAC, but the exact amount is still being confirmed. The November ballot lists 6 candidates: one Democrat, one Republican, two independent, one Libertarian and one Green.
Major issues facing Michigan, based on 2025–2026 reporting. Compare them with what each candidate says they focus on below.
FEC campaign finance data through Sep 30, 2026. Campaign dollars, by source.
| Abdul El-Sayed D | Mike Rogers R | Lydia Christensen L | Timothy Long I | Douglas P. Marsh G | Walter P. Kristy I | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raised | $45.2M | $20.6M | $7K | — | — | — |
| Individuals | $39.7M88% | $13.7M67% | $4K52% | — | — | — |
| PACs & parties | $430K1% | $1.2M6% | $2K30% | — | — | — |
| Self-funded | $0 | $0 | $69010% | — | — | — |
| Other | $5.1M11% | $5.6M27% | $6329% | — | — | — |
| AIPAC-linked* | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Outside spending† | $20.4M opposing | — | — | — | — | — |
* AIPAC-linked money is already counted in the rows above — it flags the pro-Israel share, not extra money.
† Independent spending on ads for or against a candidate. It never goes to their campaign.
“Individuals” covers both small-dollar (under $200) and large donors.
Every donor ranked by how much they gave, from the candidate’s own FEC filings — individuals, PACs, and party committees all in one list. Expand a candidate to see theirs, then tap any name to learn more about the donor.
Why are so many gifts exactly $10,000? That’s the legal maximum a PAC can give one candidate for the whole cycle — $5,000 for the primary plus $5,000 for the general — so many PACs give the max. Individuals can give up to $3,500 per election.
Showing the 50 biggest of 8519 donors. The other 8469 gave $9.8M combined.
Plus $4.1M from small donors giving under $200 each — those aren’t itemized by name.
Showing the 50 biggest of 5391 donors. The other 5341 gave $4.7M combined.
Plus $2.5M from small donors giving under $200 each — those aren’t itemized by name.
These figures come from the candidate’s own itemized FEC reports (2026 cycle, through the coverage date above), with amendments applied and refunds netted. Joint fundraising transfers are left out of the ranking: they’re pass-throughs, and the individual donations behind them are listed above. Bank interest, vendor refunds, and other non-donation receipts are excluded. Donor names are as reported — the same person can appear twice if their name was recorded differently. Independent spending on ads is never included here — see the Outside spending column.
October 20, 2026
UDP's $55M war chest still sitting; J Street, DMFI, and anti-AIPAC groups place new general-election bets
AIPAC's super PAC entered September with $54.9 million in cash on hand but has disclosed only about $284,000 in general-election spending — mailers attacking Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan's Senate race — with its September monthly report due today and a pre-general report due Oct. 22. Meanwhile, the anti-AIPAC super PAC American Priorities spent $300,000 in October in Ohio's 15th District (backing Don Leonard, attacking incumbent Mike Carey) and $275,000 in Michigan's Senate race. J Street's super PAC reported $470,000 in digital ads against Mike Collins in Georgia's Senate race and on Oct. 20 announced new ads targeting AIPAC-endorsed Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-1) and Ryan Mackenzie (PA-7), while DMFI PAC spent $900,000 in late September backing Elaine Luria against Jen Kiggans in VA-2.
Source: Inside Political Money →October 20, 2026
Lummis-linked crypto super PAC spent $810K backing Mike Rogers in the Michigan Senate primary
First Principles Digital, a Republican pro-crypto super PAC launched in 2025 by ex-NRSC chief Jason Thielman with Sen. Cynthia Lummis's former chief of staff Kristin Walker involved, reported an $810,700 media buy supporting Mike Rogers (disseminated July 27, reported July 29) — its largest spend ever and its first big Michigan Senate play. Its disclosed donors include Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss (~$987,000 combined), MoonPay ($100,000), and $600,000 from the affiliated dark-money 501(c)(4) America First Digital, whose own donors are undisclosed. The PAC still held about $493,000 in cash at the end of August, so more MI-Sen activity is possible before Nov 3.
Source: FEC filings; Crypto Influence Watch →October 18, 2026
Labor group Working America pours $1.7M into Senate races in final weeks
Working America (C90011156), the AFL-CIO's community affiliate, reported about $1.66 million in new independent expenditures Oct 15–17: $500,250 supporting Sherrod Brown and $450,750 opposing Jon Husted in Ohio's Senate race; $307,206 opposing Mike Rogers and $182,206 supporting Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan; $125,250 opposing Ashley Hinson and $120,500 supporting Josh Turek in Iowa — plus smaller buys in Georgia and Minnesota. Its 2026 cycle total is about $2.2 million.
Source: FEC →October 17, 2026
Youth group super PAC 'Alliance for Youth Power' spends $211K backing El-Sayed (MI-Sen)
The electoral arm of Alliance for Youth Action filed $210,500 supporting Abdul El-Sayed (D) in Michigan's Senate race plus $7,500 supporting Rebecca Cooke (D) in WI-3, both disseminated Oct 16 (digital advertising via AfG Partners). Donors are disclosed: its October Quarterly shows $450,000 from the Children's Equity Fund (the Bainum Family Foundation's 501(c)(4)) plus $150,000 from SEIU and NEA affiliates.
Source: FEC filing (October Quarterly) →October 16, 2026
New hybrid PAC spends $182K supporting El-Sayed in Michigan Senate race; funders hidden
Serious About Safety PAC (C00960500), a hybrid PAC registered September 2026, reported $181,500 in independent expenditures supporting Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in MI-Sen (disseminated Oct 13, via Democratic media firm Conexion Political), per FEC filings — pro-El-Sayed spending in the race where AIPAC's UDP spent $20.3M opposing him. Its October Monthly lists zero itemized receipts, so the funders are undisclosed until the November Monthly (due ~Nov 20). Treasurer John Roberson (Acuity Politics compliance). Added to PoliVion's donor watchlist.
Source: FEC →October 16, 2026
TFM's seed money was Republican: Great Lakes Conservatives Fund gave $50K to the $4.38M anti-El-Sayed super PAC
TFM — Together for Michigan (FEC #C00960138), the super PAC behind $4.38M in Michigan Senate independent expenditures ($3.26M opposing Abdul El-Sayed, $1.12M backing Mike Rogers) — filed its first donor report Oct 15: $84,065 raised through Sept 30. The seed money is Republican: $50,000 from GLCF, Inc., the Great Lakes Conservatives Fund (a GOP super PAC that raised $22.6M in 2024 and spent $10.7M backing Rogers), plus $25,000 from American Unity PAC of Virginia, with the rest from individual donors in Memphis and Michigan. The PAC's treasurer is Democratic state representative Karen Whitsett. Note: the $84K is seed money only — funding for the October $4.38M blitz lands in the pre-general report due Oct 22.
Source: FEC filings →October 13, 2026
New super PAC 'TFM' spends $4.38M in Michigan Senate race: $3.26M attacking El-Sayed, $1.12M backing Rogers
FEC filings show TFM — Together for Michigan (committee C00960138), registered as a super PAC on Aug. 27, 2026 — has reported $4,376,550 in independent expenditures: $3,255,020 opposing Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and $1,121,530 supporting Republican Mike Rogers, via 48-hour reports filed Oct. 10-11 (FEC bulk data, Oct. 13). The treasurer is Karen Whitsett, the Democratic Michigan state representative from Detroit who stopped attending House Democratic caucus meetings in Jan. 2025. TFM's FEC compliance email is @demsforrogers.com, tying it to the 'Democrats for Mike Rogers' crossover operation (and its @DemsForMike account) that Whitsett publicly fronts. Donors are not yet disclosed; the committee's first quarterly donor report is due Oct. 15. Flagged by Track AIPAC. Added as Case 4 in PoliVion's /spoiler-playbook/.
Source: FEC filings (independent-expenditure bulk data, Oct. 13, 2026); Track AIPAC →October 12, 2026
AIPAC's super PAC attacks El-Sayed in Michigan's general election with $95,000 mailer buy; Rogers welcomes the help
The United Democracy Project, AIPAC's super PAC, disclosed about $95,000 in direct-mail spending opposing Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed in the general election, its first general-election spending of 2026. The mailers target roughly 130,000 Jewish voters in Michigan. Republican nominee Mike Rogers publicly welcomed AIPAC's support during the Oct. 8 debate, a reversal after his allies had reportedly asked the group to stay out of the race in August.
Source: Washington Examiner →October 12, 2026
Democratic pollsters and consultants collected $7M+ from AIPAC's super PAC and DMFI since 2021
At least 20 Democrat-aligned firms have worked for the United Democracy Project or Democratic Majority for Israel since 2021, including Impact Research, Global Strategy Group, and Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, collecting more than $7 million. The reporting lands as UDP resumes general-election spending against Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed and has signaled it plans to spend much more to defeat him.
Source: Sludge →October 12, 2026
AIPAC's super PAC re-enters Michigan Senate race with $95,000 mailer buy against El-Sayed
The United Democracy Project, AIPAC's super PAC, disclosed nearly $95,000 in direct-mail ads opposing Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in the Michigan Senate general election, targeting 130,000 Jewish voters in Michigan over his response to a March attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield. The move comes after UDP spent more than $30 million against El-Sayed in the Democratic primary and lost. Republican Mike Rogers has publicly welcomed the help, while El-Sayed is using the spending to argue that outside money is trying to buy the race.
Source: Washington Examiner →October 09, 2026
Mike Rogers says he welcomes AIPAC support in Michigan Senate debate after allies told the group to stay out
At the Oct. 8 debate, Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers said he welcomed AIPAC's support after his allies had reportedly asked the group not to advertise for him in August, following Abdul El-Sayed's primary win over AIPAC-backed Haley Stevens. Reporting also notes AIPAC shelved an already-produced video ad targeting El-Sayed after Rogers met with AIPAC's chair. UDP spent $30.6 million in the primary opposing El-Sayed and backing Stevens, per FEC filings.
Source: Daily Caller →