A sharp public dispute erupted Friday between Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed and U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, rattling party unity only days before an election that could decide the balance of power in Washington.
The two former primary rivals clashed over campaign messaging and foreign policy, casting uncertainty over a planned joint appearance in Detroit scheduled for Sunday alongside veteran South Carolina Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn.
Dispute Centers on Campaign Ads
Stevens sparked the confrontation Friday by demanding that El-Sayed formally condemn a commercial released by Rebellion PAC, an unaffiliated progressive political action committee. The ad depicts shoppers in a grocery store complaining about the cost of living while asserting that federal tax dollars are being diverted to Israel for military operations in the Gaza Strip. Stevens condemned the commercial as antisemitic, arguing that it falsely blamed an American ally for high consumer prices.
“Abdul promises to get money out of politics,” Stevens said in a statement reported by CBS News. “He can begin by getting Israel out of his explanation for everything Michigan cannot afford.”
Stevens also called on the nominee to apologize for remarks connecting foreign aid to domestic affordability challenges and urged him to take down an advertisement featuring conservative commentator Tucker Carlson.
El-Sayed’s campaign had previously told reporters that it has no affiliation with Rebellion PAC and does not coordinate with outside groups. In a sharp rebuttal Friday evening, El-Sayed accused Stevens of looking backward rather than focusing on the upcoming general election against Republican nominee Mike Rogers.
Stevens “seems intent on relitigating a primary that ended three months ago,” El-Sayed said in a statement, adding that his campaign remains dedicated to health care and economic issues. He noted that his grassroots operation had overcome tens of millions of dollars in spending from corporate interests and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee during the August primary.
Rally Plans Thrown Into Question
The exchange quickly unsettled Michigan Democrats who had hoped Sunday’s event at a Detroit church would serve as a display of party solidarity. While Stevens previously said she planned to attend the gathering with Clyburn, an advisory distributed by the El-Sayed campaign about the stop did not list her as a participant, CBS News reported. Representatives for both figures did not immediately confirm whether they would still appear on the same stage.
The public bickering drew immediate pushback from other state leaders. Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow questioned Stevens’ decision to issue public demands so close to Election Day, telling CNN, “This is a moment where we have to recognize the stakes.”
Rep. Debbie Dingell, a veteran Michigan Democrat who helped organize the Detroit event, tried to smooth over the disagreement during an interview with NBC News, suggesting that outside commentary was inflating the conflict and that voters care primarily about federal policy battles.
The discord comes as nonpartisan analysts at the Cook Political Report evaluate the contest between El-Sayed and Rogers as a toss-up. Stevens recently affirmed on CNN that she intends to cast her ballot for El-Sayed, even after her fiancé told local media that he plans to support Rogers on Tuesday.
