Ruffalo, Springsteen throw weight behind Michigan Senate hopeful
Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, who would be the first Muslim US senator if elected, faces Republican Mike Rogers for Michigan's open seat.
Actor Mark Ruffalo and singer Bruce Springsteen have publicly backed Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in the days before Tuesday's midterm elections, Turkey's state-run news agency Anadolu Agency reported.
Ruffalo, who was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, made his case in a campaign video in which he said he was proud to stand with El-Sayed and asked voters to join him at the polls on Tuesday.
He linked his support to the working-class values he associates with his hometown, including family, employment, community and investment in young people, and said El-Sayed shares that outlook on government's role.
Ruffalo also urged voters to talk with relatives and friends about casting ballots, saying the vote offered a chance to "revolutionize the Democratic Party."
Springsteen endorsed El-Sayed in a social media post, calling him a defender of the US Constitution and democracy and an opponent of what he described as the current White House leadership.
"That's why I'm in his corner 100%," Springsteen wrote.
El-Sayed, 42, is running against Republican Mike Rogers for Michigan's open US Senate seat, after defeating former US Rep. Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary on Aug. 4.
If elected, El-Sayed would become the first Muslim US senator, and the Michigan contest is among races that could help decide control of the narrowly divided Senate, Anadolu Agency reported.
El-Sayed, a former Wayne County health director and epidemiologist, has campaigned on healthcare, affordability and expanding the social safety net, while Rogers, a former congressman, presents himself as a conservative focused on manufacturing and border security.
