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Archive photo · 26 July 2025Haley Stevens Reignites Feud With Abdul El-Sayed Over Antisemitic Israel Ad in Michigan Senate Race
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Stevens and El-Sayed reignited feud four days before Michigan Senate election. Dispute centers on Israel ad; Stevens demands El-Sayed condemn it.
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6 outlets told this the same way.
Michigan Democrats split
Abdul El-Sayed and former primary rival Haley Stevens reignited their intra-party feud in Michigan just four days before a key Senate election, with El-Sayed facing Republican Mike Rogers in the swing state. Stevens said she expected El-Sayed to formally condemn an ad from an outside progressive group that she called antisemitic, and she argued the spot tells Michigan families they cannot afford groceries because their money has to be set aside for 'killing Palestinians.'
El-Sayed responded by saying Stevens 'seems intent on relitigating a primary that ended three months ago' and by arguing his campaign focus was on affordability and health care. Stevens also urged El-Sayed to take down one of his own ads that featured former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, and El-Sayed’s campaign said it was not affiliated with the Rebellion PAC ad.
Rally plans in doubt
Stevens told voters she would vote for El-Sayed while also calling on him to denounce the ad, and she said, “I want to encourage this campaign to shut out the hate and to call it out and to make people who are in my coalition, make them feel comfortable about coming to the polls.”
El-Sayed’s campaign asked Stevens to stay away from all future campaign events, and a source familiar with the discussions confirmed the snub to Fox News after Politico first reported it.
Mallory McMorrow said on CNN, “I have no idea what the hell Haley Stevens is doing,” and she added, “This is a moment where we have to recognize the stakes.”
Democratic Rep. Debbie Dingell sought to downplay the conflict on NBC News’ “Meet the Press NOW,” saying, “I think that, quite frankly, a lot of people are trying to create more controversy here.”
Israel ad fuels stakes
Stevens said the ad set in a grocery store ties high grocery prices to U.S. military aid to Israel, and she argued it blames her close ally Israel for everything Michiganders cannot afford. El-Sayed said his campaign is focused on defeating Rogers and lowering prices, and he added, “This should be the priority for all of us right now,” after referencing the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s primary support for Stevens.
PolitiFact described the ad’s grocery-store message as the woman telling the man to not buy eggs because “we have to set that $7 aside for killing Palestinians,” and it said the ad states Rogers “is for they/them.” Trump pressed the stakes in Michigan’s final stretch by saying at a rally in Daytona Beach, Florida, “If you're Black, or if you're Jewish, and you vote for Abdul, you're not smart,” as the Senate race approached Election Day.
