Suehaila Amen, a prominent Arab American activist in Dearborn, Michigan, described the emotional toll of the ongoing war in Lebanon, where Israeli forces have systematically destroyed entire villages. She said the community is struggling with shock, pain, and exhaustion after nearly three years of conflict in Palestine and Lebanon.

Hope in political change

Amen, who lived in Bint Jbail, a border town in Lebanon that has been levelled by Israeli forces, said the devastation is deeply personal. ‘To say the community is hurting is really an understatement. Even in answering this question, I’m brought to tears,’ she said.

In the middle of this despair, Amen has found hope in the rise of politicians across the United States who are calling for an end to government support for Israel. In Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed, a doctor and public health advocate, is running for the Senate on a pledge to invest in local communities instead of foreign wars.

Political funding and AIPAC’s role

El-Sayed, who is of Egyptian descent, has faced an avalanche of spending from pro-Israel groups, including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which has backed his Democratic primary opponent, Congresswoman Haley Stevens, with more than $50m.

‘It would be absolutely spectacular to watch the fall of that so-called empire that AIPAC thinks that they hold,’ Amen said — If El-Sayed won the Democratic nomination, she believes his victory would be ‘historic.’

At a campaign rally for El-Sayed in Dearborn, a Detroit suburb known as the ‘capital of Arab America,’ boos rang out each time AIPAC was mentioned. Abbas Alawieh, a candidate for Michigan’s state Senate, noted the significance of the venue: the Bint Jebail Cultural Center.

‘Bint Jbail is the village that I’m from on my mom’s side, and Bint Jbail is actively experiencing an ethnic cleansing by the Israeli military,’ Alawieh said. He described how the Israeli military is going house by house and demolishing properties, including the school his grandfather was a principal at for years.

Community mobilization in Dearborn

Community leaders in Dearborn are encouraging people to use their political power in the face of perceived indifference from both major parties; many are rallying around El-Sayed’s campaign, with signs reading ‘Small business for Abdul’ a common sight in the storefronts that dot Dearborn’s streets.

Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud told Al Jazeera that it is ‘incumbent upon us to participate in the democratic process,’ despite the apathy some may feel toward the political system. He stressed the importance of electing candidates who fight for working families and share values that can be applied globally.

Dearborn City Council Member Kamal Alsawafy echoed that sentiment, saying that supporting El-Sayed means ‘protecting working families’ and using tax dollars to fund infrastructure in the US instead of funding conflicts overseas. ‘It’s about priorities, and that’s why we’re trying to make the right decision and vote for Abdul El-Sayed,’ he said.

El-Sayed served as the health director of Detroit before running for governor in 2018 — he later became a political pundit and vocal advocate for the ‘Medicare for All’ campaign. In 2023, he became the head of the Wayne County Department of Health — he left the post last year to launch his Senate bid.

Backed by Senator Bernie Sanders, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and other key progressives, El-Sayed has positioned himself to the left of the Democratic primary; With US public opinion turning against Israel, the Michigan race has become a microcosm for the rift within the Democratic Party over the issue.

Stevens, who is staunchly pro-Israel, has been endorsed by some of the top Democrats in Michigan and nationally, including Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. AIPAC has broken primary records with its pro-Stevens spending, but this is not the first time the group has backed the congresswoman.

In 2022, AIPAC spent millions to help Stevens defeat fellow Democrat Andy Levin, a progressive Jewish labour organiser, after redistricting resulted in the two competing for the same seat. Stevens was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2018, beating a Republican incumbent.