Sanders Draws 700 in Alpena to Challenge GOP Dominance

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders traveled to Alpena on Monday to rally support for Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. The former presidential candidate addressed a crowd of approximately 700 people in a community that voted for Republican President Donald Trump by nearly 29 percentage points in the 2024 election. Organizers for the event reported that the turnout exceeded expectations, forcing them to add extra chairs and remove a room divider to accommodate the attendees.

The visit serves as a targeted effort to reduce the Republican advantage in northern Michigan. Statewide races are often decided by margins of 100,000 votes or fewer. Democrats do not aim to flip these traditionally red districts but rather to compress the gap. Local resident Marion Hautea, who has lived in Alpena since 1997, described the rally as a rare opportunity for voters on the blue side to engage in political discussion. He noted that the area’s political landscape is heavily red, making such events uncommon for many residents.

Republican U.S. Senate nominee Mike Rogers is pursuing a reciprocal strategy to expand his coalition. He has actively courted Jewish voters and residents of Detroit who previously supported Haley Stevens, El-Sayed’s primary opponent. The Republican campaign argues that progressive policies associated with Sanders and El-Sayed pose direct risks to local livelihoods. Greg Manz, a senior communications adviser for the Michigan Republican Party, stated that these policies are direct threats to Michiganders’ livelihoods. Both parties are competing for non-college-educated white voters, a demographic that pollster Richard Czuba identifies as essential to Republican success in Michigan.

El-Sayed’s campaign is adopting a messaging strategy that mirrors Donald Trump’s approach to appeal to disillusioned voters. The candidate has launched a “Michigan first” advertisement on Fox News and has drawn large crowds in rural areas and the Upper Peninsula. This effort coincides with rising costs and lower approval ratings for the current administration. Democrat Callie Barr recently outraised incumbent U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman in the 1st Congressional District, a seat Bergman won by more than 20 points two years ago. This financial shift suggests Democrats are making inroads in districts they previously considered lost causes.

Sanders used his time in Alpena to criticize income inequality and the U.S. healthcare system. He argued that rural communities often receive less attention from major campaigns than urban centers. Diane O’Connor, an activist with the Alpena County Democratic Party, said Sanders’ presence in a small, northern community aligned with his long-standing practice of reaching out to diverse voter bases. She expressed confidence that the visit would benefit Democrats in the upcoming election.

The Alpena stop was part of a broader swing through the state that included planned visits to Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor. This tour followed a commitment by Sanders and other members of Congress to contribute more than $1.3 million to El-Sayed’s campaign in the final days of the cycle. Sanders said the fundraising was necessary to counter outside groups that heavily outspent the candidate. He emphasized that while the campaign lacks the financial resources of billionaire-backed super PACs, the effort aims to secure a competitive race.

The November 3 election will determine the outcome of the Michigan Senate contest. Sanders’ speech lasted approximately one hour. The crowd included local party officials and long-time residents who cited the rarity of high-profile political events in their area. The campaign continues to focus on connecting with voters who feel overlooked by traditional political processes.