Michigan Democrats Clash Before Key Event
Abdul El-Sayed and Haley Stevens traded sharp words Friday over campaign ads and Israel policy just days before a joint appearance in Detroit.
By Jonathan Reed ·
Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and former rival Rep. Haley Stevens engaged in a public dispute Friday, hours before both are scheduled to appear together at a campaign event in Detroit on Sunday.
The tension centers on El-Sayed’s stance toward U.S. aid to Israel. Stevens, who endorsed El-Sayed after losing the primary, demanded he apologize for a campaign remark suggesting that Israel is the reason Michigan cannot afford schools, health care, and child care. In a statement, Stevens wrote, "Abdul promises to get money out of politics. He can begin by getting Israel out of his explanation for everything Michigan cannot afford."
El-Sayed responded by accusing Stevens of focusing on a past contest rather than the upcoming general election. He said in a statement that Stevens "seems intent on relitigating a primary that ended three months ago." The general election pits El-Sayed against Republican nominee Mike Rogers, who has targeted centrist Democratic voters in the race.
Stevens also pushed El-Sayed to address two specific campaign advertisements. She asked him to condemn a video produced by the outside political action committee Rebellion PAC. The ad depicts a couple in a grocery store putting a carton of eggs back on a shelf, stating they need to save seven dollars for killing Palestinians. El-Sayed’s campaign said earlier this week it was not affiliated with the ad in any way, adding that no one speaks for the candidate but himself and his team.
Stevens further urged El-Sayed to remove his own ad featuring Tucker Carlson, a former Fox News host and podcaster. In a CNN interview, Stevens said she would vote for El-Sayed despite her household being divided. Her fiancé, Jason Turkish, told The Detroit News earlier in the week that he would vote for Rogers. Stevens called on El-Sayed’s campaign to shut out the hate and call it out.
It remains unclear how the public spat will affect the Sunday appearance. Stevens said she plans to join El-Sayed at a Detroit church event alongside Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina. An announcement from El-Sayed’s campaign regarding his appearance with Clyburn did not mention Stevens.
