Democrat Abdul el Sayed, the Michigan Senate nominee, is seeking to hit reset after a brutal August in which he couldn’t move past his association with Hasan Piker. But short of fully denouncing the controversial Twitch streamer with a history of antisemitism, el Sayed can’t shake the spotlight that remains on their political friendship.

El Sayed is making new overtures to Jewish Democrats, some of whom have publicly embraced Republican rival Mike Rogers, threatening his chances to defend a Democratic-held battleground seat that could determine whether Republicans hold on to the upper chamber.