One of the most watched of November’s midterm elections will be the Michigan U.S. Senate race in which far-left Democratic nominee Abdul el Sayed challenges former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers. The race remains a toss-up.

Much of the punditry so far has focused on el Sayed’s Arab heritage, U.S. foreign policy toward Israel, and el Sayed’s unforced error mocking Mackinac Island, a cultural pride for many Michiganders. These discussions may miss a far more important point. While senators do not receive formal security clearances, by tradition, they receive access to national security information because they are deemed trustworthy to handle it.