Michigan Senate Race Deteriorates as Democratic Candidates Clash Over Israel
Democratic candidates clash over Israel, risking coalition unity ahead of Michigan Senate race.
3 min read
Days before the Michigan Senate race, a rift has emerged within the Democratic coalition as two candidates, Abdul El-Sayed and Haley Stevens, clash over an ad by the left-wing Rebellion PAC. The disagreement has raised concerns about the party’s unity ahead of the critical election.
El-Sayed’s campaign reportedly asked Stevens to avoid all campaign events ahead of the race, according to POLITICO, citing sources familiar with the decision. This move comes after the former primary rivals exchanged sharp words over an ad by Rebellion PAC, a political action committee backed by The Young Turks founder Cenk Uygur. The ad, which claimed a woman couldn’t buy eggs due to setting aside tax money for “killing Palestinians,” sparked controversy.
On the eve of the eve of the eve of our BIG and important election, a unifying moment has arrived, our democratic nominee for U.S Senate disavows the Rebellion PAC ad made by Hasan Piker’s uncle that claims Jews are responsible for America’s economic woes. We have learned from party leaders and emissaries, as reported in the news media that he has. On Sunday I will join with the Great Democratic leader, Jim Clyburn and Dr El Sayed for a church service in the beautiful city of Detroit. The political coalition of Black and Jewish voices that have carried Michigan and this country through so many storms to the righteous path of liberal democracy and equal opportunity for all will ring out. Full statement here:
Stevens responded with a post on X, criticizing El-Sayed for disavowing the ad by Hasan Piker’s uncle, which she claimed falsely blamed Jews for America’s economic woes. “On the eve of the eve of the eve of our BIG and important election, a unifying moment has arrived, our democratic nominee for U.S Senate disavows the Rebellion PAC ad made by Hasan Piker’s uncle that claims Jews are responsible for America’s economic woes,” she wrote.
https://t.co/NEd1uijz11
El-Sayed quickly countered on X, emphasizing his focus on key issues like rising gas prices and unaffordable groceries. “Our campaign is and has always been focused on addressing the most critical challenges Michiganders are facing: Skyrocketing gas prices, unaffordable groceries, and the inability to see a doctor,” he stated. He also accused Stevens of receiving significant outside spending from big corporations and AIPAC.
Representative Haley Stevens is a courageous leader who deserves the respect of every Michigan voter. She has conducted herself with nothing but class since the Democratic primary, a primary where a majority of voters did not vote for her party’s nominee. She was absolutely right to call on Abdul El-Sayed to denounce the Rebellion PAC ad and she was right to call on him to apologize for espousing the same hateful ideology behind it. Representative Stevens’ statement expressed a hope that Abdul El-Sayed “had heard the deep concerns of the Jewish Community.” It is as shameful as it is disappointing that his response to her clearly shows that he does not care about those concerns. In her statement, the Congresswoman says, “ the Jewish and African-American communities of my district deserve to have someone show up for them, rather than fight over them.” I agree with her and my campaign is about being there, showing up and defending these communities and all Michiganders.
Rogers, the Republican nominee, praised Stevens for her performance during the August primary, calling her a “courageous leader.” He supported her call for El-Sayed to denounce the ad and apologize for supporting its ideology. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump criticized El-Sayed at a rally in Daytona, Florida, suggesting voters should avoid supporting him if they are Jewish or Black.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Secretary of Health and Human Services, also criticized El-Sayed, questioning his disavowal of the Muslim Brotherhood. Kennedy argued that El-Sayed’s response was insincere and lacked substance. El-Sayed currently leads Rogers by 5% in recent polling, according to FiftyPlusOne.
Source: Daily Caller
