El-Sayed faces Stevens over $7 egg ad and Israel comments
Tensions rise between Michigan Senate candidates ahead of a joint Detroit event with Rep. Jim Clyburn.
By James Foster ·
Abdul El-Sayed and Haley Stevens traded sharp words on Friday, a day before they are scheduled to appear together in Detroit.
The dispute centers on El-Sayed’s campaign stance regarding U.S. aid to Israel and an outside advertisement that drew criticism for its imagery. Stevens, a former representative and El-Sayed’s primary rival, sent a statement demanding that El-Sayed apologize for remarks he made during the primary. She pointed to his suggestion that Israel is the reason Michigan cannot afford schools, health care, and child care. Stevens wrote, “He can begin by getting Israel out of his explanation for everything Michigan cannot afford.”
Stevens also asked El-Sayed to condemn a video ad produced by Rebellion PAC. The clip shows a couple in a grocery store putting a carton of eggs back on a shelf. The woman explains they need to set aside seven dollars for killing Palestinians. The pair then complains about the billions in military support the United States has provided to Israel. El-Sayed’s campaign said earlier this week it was not affiliated with the ad in any way. The campaign stated that no one speaks for El-Sayed but himself and his team.
Stevens added that El-Sayed should remove his own ad featuring Tucker Carlson, the far-right podcaster and former Fox News host. In response, El-Sayed released a statement Friday evening saying Stevens seems intent on relitigating a primary that ended three months ago. The two candidates have largely stayed apart since Stevens endorsed El-Sayed after losing the nomination.
The friction occurs just days before the general election, where Republican nominee Mike Rogers is targeting centrist Democratic voters. Stevens said she plans to join El-Sayed at a Detroit church event on Sunday. South Carolina Representative Jim Clyburn is also expected to attend. An announcement from El-Sayed’s campaign about the event mentioned Clyburn but did not list Stevens.
Stevens’ political household is also divided on the race. Her fiancé, Jason Turkish, told The Detroit News earlier this week that he would vote for Rogers. Stevens later told CNN that she would vote for El-Sayed. She described her home as a divided household and asked his campaign to shut out the hate and call it out.
The candidates’ public disagreement adds a layer of complexity to a campaign that has seen little joint messaging since the primary concluded in July.
