Days before the 2026 election, Michigan Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed asked former primary rival Representative Haley Stevens to stay away from future campaign events following public disputes over an independent group's advertisement linking U.S. support for Israel to high grocery prices. Stevens demanded El-Sayed denounce the ad and apologize for past rhetoric, while her fiancé endorsed Republican candidate Mike Rogers.
Dispute over Detroit campaign appearance
- ▪Abdul El-Sayed and Representative Haley Stevens were scheduled to appear together at a Detroit church event scheduled for Sunday, October 25, 2026, alongside South Carolina Representative Jim Clyburn to encourage voter turnout
- ▪Michigan Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed asked former primary rival Representative Haley Stevens to forgo attending his future campaign events through the November 3, 2026 election
- ▪A campaign advisory released by Abdul El-Sayed for an event scheduled for Sunday, October 25, 2026, with Representative Jim Clyburn omitted Representative Haley Stevens from the attendee list
Rebellion PAC grocery advertisement controversy
- ▪Abdul El-Sayed stated that the Rebellion PAC advertisement linking U.S. support for Israel to grocery prices was not affiliated with his campaign and was not a subject he wanted to talk about
- ▪Rebellion PAC was founded by progressive host Cenk Uygur
- ▪Representative Haley Stevens called the Rebellion PAC advertisement linking U.S. support for Israel to grocery prices antisemitic and urged Abdul El-Sayed to formally denounce its contents rather than just distancing his campaign from it
- ▪Independent group Rebellion PAC produced an advertisement linking U.S. taxpayer support for Israel to high grocery prices in America
Democratic primary opposition spending
- ▪The American Israel Public Affairs Committee spent $30 million on advertisements opposing Abdul El-Sayed during the 2026 Democratic primary
- ▪Abdul El-Sayed defeated Representative Haley Stevens in the Michigan Democratic Senate primary
Jason Turkish support for Mike Rogers
- ▪Jason Turkish, the fiancé of Representative Haley Stevens, publicly announced that he would vote for Republican Mike Rogers instead of Abdul El-Sayed
- ▪Jason Turkish cited Abdul El-Sayed's refusal to answer during a debate whether Iran or Israel was a greater threat to the United States as a reason for supporting Mike Rogers
- ▪Jason Turkish accused Abdul El-Sayed of acting recklessly toward the safety of Jewish people during the 2026 Michigan Senate campaign
Haley Stevens campaign commitments
- ▪Representative Haley Stevens stated on CNN that she would vote for Abdul El-Sayed and the Democratic ticket despite her concerns about his outreach to Jewish and Black voters
- ▪Representative Haley Stevens pledged to CBS News on August 6, 2026, that she would support Abdul El-Sayed on the campaign trail
El-sayed conservative endorsement advertisement
- ▪Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson appeared in an Abdul El-Sayed campaign advertisement stating he would not vote for Republican Mike Rogers at gunpoint
- ▪Representative Haley Stevens urged Abdul El-Sayed to remove his campaign advertisement featuring conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, arguing it showed disrespect toward the Black community
Rabbi Aaron Starr on election climate
- ▪Rabbi Aaron Starr stated that political tensions had gotten worse rather than improving over the seven weeks leading up to the November 3 Michigan Senate election
- ▪Rabbi Aaron Starr of Congregation Shaarey Zedek criticized both the Rebellion PAC grocery advertisement and Abdul El-Sayed's campaign advertisement featuring conservative commentators
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