Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and Rep. Haley Stevens clashed publicly on Friday over comments about Israel and an outside political ad, two days before they were expected to appear together at a Detroit church.4,5,6
The dispute comes days before the Senate election in which El-Sayed faces Republican nominee Mike Rogers for the seat held by retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters. The seat is crucial to Democratic hopes to take control of the Senate, and Rogers seeks to peel off centrist Democratic voters.4,5
Stevens said El-Sayed should apologize for suggesting during the campaign that "Israel is the reason Michigan cannot afford schools, health care, and child care." "Abdul promises to get money out of politics," Stevens said. "He can begin by getting Israel out of his explanation for everything Michigan cannot afford."4,6
Stevens also called on El-Sayed to condemn a video ad by the outside group Rebellion PAC that she described as antisemitic. The ad shows a couple in a grocery store saying they must put back a carton of eggs because "we have to set that $7 aside for killing Palestinians," while discussing billions of dollars in U.S. military support for Israel. El-Sayed's campaign said earlier in the week that it was not affiliated "in any way" with the ad, adding, "No one speaks for Abdul but himself and his campaign." Stevens also called on El-Sayed to take down his own ad featuring former Fox News host and podcaster Tucker Carlson.4,5
El-Sayed did not address the ad or his past comments about Israel in his Friday response. He said his campaign "has always been focused on addressing the most critical challenges Michiganders are facing" and that the focus "is why our people-powered campaign defeated a historic $70 million in outside spending from big corporations and AIPAC on behalf of Congresswoman Stevens." "So while Congresswoman Stevens seems intent on relitigating a primary that ended three months ago, let's all focus on the task at hand: that's beating Mike Rogers," El-Sayed said.4,5
It is not known whether the disagreement will change plans for Sunday. Stevens said she planned to appear with El-Sayed and South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn at a church in Detroit. An announcement from El-Sayed's campaign about his appearance with Clyburn did not mention Stevens. Politico reported, citing two people familiar with the decision who were granted anonymity to discuss sensitive campaign dynamics, that El-Sayed's campaign is asking Stevens to stay away from all future campaign events. One person said she should stay away "as not to distract from the central issues of the campaign." Stevens did not immediately answer questions about whether she would stay off the campaign trail or whether her appearance was contingent on an apology, and El-Sayed's campaign declined to comment.4,5
El-Sayed narrowly defeated Stevens in the Democratic primary in August, after a campaign in which the two presented different views for the party and differed over support for Israel. Stevens endorsed El-Sayed after he won. The two have not campaigned together since a unity breakfast held days after the Aug. 4 primary, though Stevens has said she will vote for El-Sayed.3,4,5
Other Democrats expressed concern about the timing of the dispute and urged unity behind El-Sayed. Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, who also ran in the primary, said on CNN, "I have no idea what the hell Haley Stevens is doing. This is a moment where we have to recognize the stakes." She added, "People are not talking about ads. They are not talking about Haley Stevens. They are talking about the price of gas and groceries." A Michigan Democratic operative not directly working for El-Sayed's campaign said, "Every Democrat was singing the same tune but now, because one person is tone deaf, the whole choir is thrown off." State Rep. Joe Tate, who supported Stevens in the primary and now supports El-Sayed, said, "There's been a lot of efforts to coalesce Democrats, both from Abdul and from the congresswoman. I think everybody's on the same page of Democrats just beating Mike Rogers," while acknowledging that "when you have people that have competed through a primary, I know it can always have those lingering effects."5
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, while campaigning in Michigan for House candidate Callie Barr, urged Democrats to support El-Sayed. "I've never met somebody who I agree with on 100 percent of everything," Buttigieg told reporters. "But when our health care is at stake, when a chance to have a more affordable everyday life is at stake, the choice is clear: Mike Rogers has disqualified himself."5
Republicans highlighted the Democratic division. Rogers called Stevens a "courageous leader" in a post on X on Friday evening and said she was "absolutely right" to call for an apology. "I agree with her and my campaign is about being there, showing up and defending these communities and all Michiganders," Rogers said. At a rally Friday night in Daytona, Florida, President Donald Trump said, "If you're Black, or if you're Jewish, and you vote for Abdul, you're not smart."5
Earlier in the week, Stevens' fiance, Jason Turkish, told The Detroit News that he would vote for Rogers. Later that day, Stevens said in a CNN interview that she would vote for El-Sayed, saying, "we're a household divided," while calling on his campaign "to shut out the hate and to call it out."4
