Federal campaign filings and pre-general disclosures show multiple six-figure outside buys hitting the Michigan U.S. Senate race between Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers. AIPAC’s super PAC United Democracy Project paid Democratic firms Impact Research and GQR a combined $53,300 on October 13 for polling and research as part of its effort to defeat El-Sayed, and The Sentinel Action Fund reported a $100,000 digital placement opposing El-Sayed on October 20. IntegrityIndex records list roughly $6.3 million total spent in the race so far, and reporting and filings describe additional planned AIPAC spending, figures as high as $9 million have circulated. The surge in outside spending prompted Senator Bernie Sanders to transfer $1 million to El-Sayed and to mobilize other progressive fundraisers and surrogates. El-Sayed’s campaign has also hired Lenore Goldman to lead Jewish outreach, and President Barack Obama is scheduled to campaign in Michigan for El-Sayed, underscoring national attention and mobilization triggered by the PAC activity. The filings and ensuing high-dollar responses are likely to further escalate outside ad buys and surrogate visits in the final weeks before the November 3 election.
