Michigan Senate Race: El-Sayed and Stevens Clash Before Joint Event
The two Democrats traded public statements Friday, hours before a scheduled appearance together in Detroit.
By Talia Bennett ·
Abdul El-Sayed and Rep. Haley Stevens engaged in a public dispute on Friday, days before a Sunday campaign event where both are expected to appear together in Detroit. The two Democrats had a contentious primary race earlier this year, with Stevens endorsing El-Sayed after he secured the nomination.
The conflict centered on El-Sayed's criticism of U.S. aid to Israel. During the primary, El-Sayed suggested that Israel was the reason Michigan could not afford schools, health care, and child care. Stevens demanded an apology for that comment in a statement released Friday evening. She argued that El-Sayed promised to get money out of politics and should begin by getting Israel out of his explanations for the state's budget issues.
El-Sayed responded by saying Stevens seemed intent on relitigating a primary that ended three months ago. His campaign issued a statement earlier this week clarifying that it was not affiliated in any way with an outside ad from Rebellion PAC. The ad features a couple in a grocery store discussing the cost of eggs and military support for Israel. El-Sayed's team noted that no one speaks for him but himself and his campaign.
Stevens also asked El-Sayed to condemn the Rebellion PAC ad, which she described as antisemitic. In the same statement, she urged him to take down a campaign ad featuring Tucker Carlson. The far-right podcaster and former Fox News host appears in the spot. Stevens said she would vote for El-Sayed in the general election, despite her fiancé Jason Turkish telling The Detroit News earlier in the week that he would support Republican nominee Mike Rogers.
The general election is expected to be closely contested. Rogers is seeking to attract centrist Democratic voters who may be undecided between the two candidates. El-Sayed and Stevens largely stopped campaigning together after the primary, despite their shared party affiliation. Stevens said she planned to join El-Sayed at a Detroit church on Sunday, alongside Rep. Jim Clyburn. An announcement from El-Sayed's campaign regarding the event mentioned Clyburn but did not list Stevens.
