El-Sayed and Stevens Clash Over Israel Days Before Michigan Senate Election
Photo: APMichigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed and Rep. Haley Stevens, his former primary rival, clashed publicly on Friday over Israel just days before Election Day, ahead of a joint appearance planned for Sunday with Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina. Stevens demanded that El-Sayed apologize for suggesting during the campaign that Israel is the reason Michigan cannot afford schools, health care and child care. She also urged him to condemn an ad from an outside group, Rebellion PAC, which she called antisemitic. The ad shows a couple in a grocery store putting back eggs to set aside $7 for killing Palestinians. El-Sayed answered in a statement accusing Stevens of relitigating a primary that ended three months ago. He said his campaign is focused on gas prices, groceries and access to doctors, and that it beat $70 million in outside spending from corporations and AIPAC on her behalf. Republican nominee Mike Rogers, a former congressman, is trying to win centrist Democrats. Stevens endorsed El-Sayed after the primary, but the two have rarely campaigned together.
Left-leaning outlets treat it as an intra-party fight with electoral stakes. CBS News leads with the Friday exchange, quoting Stevens on Israel and the egg ad and El-Sayed's reply, and notes Rogers is courting centrists. Politico's headline says El-Sayed's campaign wants Stevens to stay away, and its summary says some Democrats fear the blowup endangers the seat. Right-leaning outlets share the core facts but differ in emphasis. The Washington Examiner calls the feud explosive and gives El-Sayed's $70 million and AIPAC response most space. The Daily Wire, under a "Dems in Disarray" headline, leads with El-Sayed's ad featuring Tucker Carlson. It adds Van Jones's criticism and says PAC ad producer Cenk Uygur is the uncle of El-Sayed surrogate Hasan Piker. AP and Semafor stand apart by focusing on unity: AP reports the Detroit appearance, while Semafor covers Clyburn's push to turn out Black voters and Stevens's fiancé voting for Rogers.
How the sides differ Left sources stress the feud's risk to Democrats' hold on the seat; right sources focus on El-Sayed's Carlson ad and PAC ad; alternative sources stress unity efforts.
Headline, comparison and summary written by AI from the articles below. AI can make mistakes, so check the original articles before relying on a detail.
CBS News and Politico cast the dispute as a damaging Democratic feud, with CBS quoting Stevens and El-Sayed's statements and Politico noting that his campaign wants Stevens to stay away and some Democrats fear for the seat.
AP and Semafor emphasize Democratic unity efforts, reporting a joint Detroit appearance and Clyburn's trip to rally Black voters, and Semafor adds that Stevens's fiancé is voting for Rogers.
- Washington ExaminerEl Sayed and Stevens feud explodes days before Michigan Senate showdown
The Washington Examiner reports the feud through Stevens's and El-Sayed's statements, while the Daily Wire leads with the Tucker Carlson ad, Van Jones's criticism and Cenk Uygur's role in the PAC ad.