On this edition of Your Call Media Roundtable, we’re discussing coverage of Dr. Abdul El-Sayed’s Senate race in Michigan and the unsettling wave of racist attacks he has faced from Donald Trump, his allies, and his Republican opponent, Mike Rogers.
This race is receiving national attention, but the issues are taking a backseat to the racism, so what's at stake?
According to the Detroit Free Press, more than 167,000 Michiganders — including more than 53,000 children — fell off of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) since last summer, in large part, policy experts say, because of new work rules and more red tape. In June 2025, before Trump signed his sweeping megabill into law, about 1.4 million people were enrolled in SNAP. As of August of this year, Michigan saw a nearly 12 percent drop in enrollment. A new analysis from Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan reveals that nearly 40 percent of Michiganders are struggling to afford basic needs.
How are the media covering the candidates’ policy positions and the issues that will impact working people in Michigan and across the country?
Guest:
Steve Neavling, award-winning investigative reporter at Metro Times and creator of Motor City Muckraker
Resources:
Metro Times: Mike Rogers keeps lying about Abdul El-Sayed. We counted the ways
The Guardian: How Republican lie that Abdul El-Sayed ‘publicly supported’ Muslim Brotherhood started with Laura Loomer
The New York Times: Pro-Israel Lobby Puts Late Money Behind Republican to Thwart El-Sayed
The American Prospect: Abdul El-Sayed Is Running Through, Not Around, the Right’s Racism
