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Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed has barred Rep. Haley Stevens from attending his campaign events in the final days before Michigan’s Senate election, following a public dispute between the two over Israel and a controversial political advertisement.
Stevens Removed From Campaign Appearances
The El-Sayed campaign sent an event advisory on Saturday that listed only El-Sayed and Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., as participants in a planned Sunday rally in Detroit. Stevens, who had agreed to appear alongside them, was not included. A person familiar with the decision told NBC News that the campaign asked Stevens not to attend because it was concerned about distractions surrounding her. Politico first reported that Stevens was no longer welcome at El-Sayed’s events.
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Stevens did not immediately respond to requests for comment. However, she told The New York Times on Friday that she still planned to vote for El-Sayed, despite their ongoing disagreement.
A Public Feud Over Israel and Campaign Ads
The conflict escalated on Friday when both sides released statements attacking each other’s positions. Stevens demanded that El-Sayed formally condemn an ad from Rebellion PAC, an outside progressive group she described as antisemitic. The ad, set in a grocery store, suggests that U.S. support for Israel and the war in Gaza is financially burdening American taxpayers.
“This ad tells Michigan families they cannot afford groceries because their money has to be set aside for ‘killing Palestinians,'” Stevens said in her statement. She also called on El-Sayed to apologize for similar comments he had made during his campaign and to remove one of his own ads featuring right-wing commentator Tucker Carlson.
El-Sayed pushed back sharply. He said Stevens “seems intent on relitigating a primary that ended three months ago” and stressed that his campaign remained focused on affordability and healthcare. He also referenced the roughly $70 million in outside spending from corporations and the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC that supported Stevens during the August primary, which he won.
El-Sayed’s campaign had already distanced itself from the Rebellion PAC ad earlier in the week, telling The New York Times that he had no affiliation with the group.
Michigan Democrats Weigh In
The dispute drew reactions from other Michigan Democrats. State Sen. Mallory McMorrow criticized Stevens directly on CNN Friday, saying she had “no idea what the hell Haley Stevens is doing” and warning that the stakes were too high for internal conflict.
Meanwhile, Rep. Debbie Dingell took a calmer approach. She told NBC News’ “Meet the Press NOW” that she helped organize Sunday’s event with Clyburn and urged the party to focus on broader political issues rather than internal tensions.
On Saturday morning, Stevens’ fiancé, Jason Turkish, told Fox News he was unsure whether she still planned to campaign with El-Sayed. Turkish had previously told The Detroit News that he personally intended to vote for Republican candidate Mike Rogers. Stevens later clarified on CNN that she would vote for El-Sayed and the full Democratic ticket.
The Senate race between El-Sayed and Rogers remains extremely competitive. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report currently rates it as a toss-up, with Election Day just four days away.
