Michigan Senate rivals team up in Detroit for final push
Abdul El-Sayed and Haley Stevens will appear together for the first time since the primary as they try to consolidate Black and Jewish voter support ahead of Tuesday's election.
By Yasmin Nasser ·
Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed plans to campaign in Detroit on Sunday alongside former primary rival Haley Stevens. This marks their first joint public appearance since a unity breakfast held days after the August 4 primary. The event aims to close the gap between the two factions that split during the primary contest.
Stevens, who lost to El-Sayed by a narrow margin, will join El-Sayed at a get-out-the-vote event at a Detroit church. South Carolina Representative Jim Clyburn, a prominent Black politician, is also expected to attend. Two people familiar with the plans said the appearance is designed to reassure voters who backed Stevens that El-Sayed remains a viable candidate for the general election.
Tensions between the two camps resurfaced on Wednesday. Jason Turkish, Stevens’ fiancé, told The Detroit News that he intends to vote for Republican candidate Mike Rogers. Hours later, Stevens appeared on CNN to confirm she is voting for El-Sayed. She urged his campaign to address concerns from her coalition. "Make people who are in my coalition, right, make them feel comfortable about coming to the polls," Stevens said.
Discontent in Michigan’s Jewish community has grown over recent weeks. Critics point to El-Sayed’s comments on Israel and his association with streamer Hasan Piker. A recent advertisement by Rebellion PAC, an independent left-wing group, linked U.S. support for Israel to high grocery prices. El-Sayed stated that the ad has nothing to do with his campaign. Stevens and other Democrats argued he should have more strongly denounced the ad’s content.
Rabbi Aaron Starr of Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield described the current political climate as intense. "We are one week away from the election, and it feels like the temperature has turned way up," Starr said. "Instead of things getting better over the last seven weeks, they’ve actually gotten worse."
The Republican side also faces internal friction. Mike Rogers has remained closely aligned with President Donald Trump on most issues. Trump has attacked El-Sayed’s Muslim faith, calling him a "jihadist" and stating he is "on the side of terrorists." Rogers appeared with Texas Senator Ted Cruz at a Republican Jewish Coalition event in Birmingham, Michigan. Cruz described antisemitism as a poison and accused Democrats of being taken over by self-proclaimed communists and Islamists.
Both campaigns are making final efforts to secure Black voters in Wayne County, where Stevens defeated El-Sayed in the primary. El-Sayed has held events in Detroit and released an ad featuring conservative figures like Tucker Carlson praising him. Rogers has visited a Detroit high school reading program and discussed housing costs in Pontiac. His wife recently handed out $10 gift cards at a gas station, a gesture that drew mixed reactions from local residents.
