Unity Collapses in Michigan as El-Sayed Tells Stevens to Stay Away
A one-day truce ends with both camps sniping again
Just days before voters decide who fills Michigan's open Senate seat, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed's campaign has asked former primary rival Rep. Haley Stevens to stay away from all of his remaining campaign events, "as not to distract from the central issues of the campaign." The request, reported by POLITICO on Oct. 30 and attributed to two people familiar with the decision, killed an 11th-hour bid to project unity between the two former rivals.
Rivals since a bitter Aug. 4 primary that split over Israel
El-Sayed narrowly defeated Stevens in a hard-fought Democratic primary on Aug. 4 that exposed deep divisions over support for Israel. The two have appeared together only once since, at a unity breakfast on Aug. 6, two days after the primary. Stevens had pledged to do "whatever he wants me to do" on the trail, yet months passed without a joint appearance even as Republicans worked to exploit the split.
A Nov. 1 church event was supposed to be the show of unity
The planned showpiece was a Nov. 1 appearance with Rep. Jim Clyburn at a Black church in Detroit, aimed at shoring up support among Black voters, particularly in Wayne County, where Stevens defeated El-Sayed in the primary. Clyburn, Rep. Debbie Dingell and Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel acted as intermediaries to arrange it. With Michigan early voting underway since Oct. 24 and the event landing two days before the election, its impact was always uncertain; now even the joint appearance itself is in doubt.
The trigger: an outside ad tying grocery prices to Israel aid
On Oct. 30, Stevens released a lengthy statement demanding that El-Sayed condemn as antisemitic an ad from an outside group, Rebellion PAC, associated with commentator Cenk Uygur. Set in a grocery store, the spot shows a young couple putting back a carton of eggs because they must "set that $7 aside for killing Palestinians," then complains about billions in U.S. military support for Israel. Stevens said the ad "dramatized one Dr. El-Sayed has made in his own words throughout this campaign" and expected him to apologize for his own rhetoric as well, writing that he should get "Israel out of his explanation for everything Michigan cannot afford."
El-Sayed sidesteps the ad and cites $70 million in outside spending
El-Sayed did not address the ad or his past comments on Israel. Instead, his campaign said it "has always been focused on addressing the most critical challenges Michiganders are facing" and noted that the people-powered campaign defeated a historic $70 million in outside spending from big corporations and AIPAC on Stevens' behalf. Asked previously about the ad's argument, El-Sayed told The Associated Press he opposes funding foreign militaries generally: "That's Israel. It's also Egypt. It's also Saudi Arabia and Qatar and (United Arab Emirates)."
Rogers cheers Stevens on as polls show El-Sayed ahead
Discussion: When former primary rivals clash publicly in a campaign's final days, how much does a show of unity matter to you as a voter? Do endorsements and joint appearances sway your decision, or do you focus on each candidate's own record and ideas?
