Slotkin Eyes 2028 While Boosting El-Sayed in Michigan

LANSING

Senator Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat, has declined to rule out a 2028 presidential campaign, saying voters are ready for a "new generation" of candidates. She is headlining a fundraiser in Nevada and has taken her message to Iowa—two early primary states—while simultaneously boosting Democrat Abdul El-Sayed's Senate bid at home.

Slotkin said she would consider a presidential run if the Democratic field appears weak after the November midterm elections. Her movements to Iowa and Nevada signal serious presidential exploration.

If El-Sayed wins his Senate race, both he and Slotkin would have defeated Republican Mike Rogers and would rank among the youngest lawmakers in the chamber. Both are also among Michigan's most visible Democrats.

Slotkin is Jewish; El-Sayed is Muslim. El-Sayed's statements on Israel and Middle East politics have drawn scrutiny in ways Slotkin's have not.

But both emphasized their ability to work across their differences. Slotkin told MS NOW that voters want to see a Jewish woman and a Muslim man able to "get along, debate, push and pull on each other, and move the state forward." She said their cooperation might carry international significance.

El-Sayed echoed the point, telling supporters he looks forward to demonstrating that individuals can hold "deeply held disagreements and still choose to fight together on the deeply held points of agreement."

The two campaigned together at a union hall in Macomb County, a bellwether region that looms large in Michigan politics. Slotkin's performance there two years ago proved decisive in her Senate victory, even as President Donald Trump won the state.

Slotkin lost Macomb by approximately nine points but outperformed Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, who lost the county by 14 points to Trump. El-Sayed told the crowd that Macomb County would be "absolutely critical" for his own race.

Christina Jolly, a Macomb County voter attending the event, said Slotkin's presence with El-Sayed reassured undecided voters about the Democratic nominee.