Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed has requested that U.S. Representative Haley Stevens (D-MI) avoid his campaign events through the November 3 midterm election. The request follows a dispute over a political advertisement that Stevens characterized as antisemitic. El-Sayed, who defeated Stevens in the Michigan Democratic primary in August, said he made the request to prevent distractions from central campaign issues, while Stevens has called for an apology regarding his past rhetoric about Israel.
The disagreement centers on an advertisement produced by a political action committee (PAC) led by commentator Cenk Uygur. The ad linked U.S. support for Israel to high grocery prices. Stevens stated that the ad dramatized arguments El-Sayed has made himself, claiming he suggested Michigan cannot afford healthcare or schools because of support for Israel. El-Sayed’s campaign noted that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee spent heavily to defeat him in the primary and accused Stevens of attempting to relitigate that contest rather than focusing on defeating Republican candidate Mike Rogers.
The public rupture became evident ahead of a planned joint appearance at a Detroit church service scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday, November 1. Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI) told CNN she advised Stevens that the joint appearance was "not working" and would be a distraction. Stevens’ fiance, Jason Turkish, told Fox News on Saturday, October 31, that he was uncertain if the congresswoman would attend the service alongside El-Sayed and U.S. Representative Jim Clyburn (D-SC). Turkish, a lifelong Democrat who is Jewish, also stated he has decided to support the Republican candidate, Rogers.
Despite the internal party friction, polling data from Mitchell Research & Communications indicates that El-Sayed has consolidated most Democratic support. The poll, conducted for Michigan television stations, found that 94% of Democrats support El-Sayed, while 91% of Republicans support Rogers. Political science professor Matt Grossmann of Michigan State University stated that while the division is "unhelpful," the impact of the feud is likely already accounted for in current polling numbers.
For Michigan voters, the immediate change is the absence of a unified party front in the final days of the campaign. The specific group affected includes Democratic voters, particularly Jewish Democrats who may be influenced by the arguments regarding the PAC advertisement, and progressives who align with El-Sayed’s "Medicare for All" platform. The scale of the divide is represented by the 94% Democratic consolidation for El-Sayed versus the public opposition from a high-profile Democratic congresswoman’s fiance. A resident following the campaign will notice these candidates and their surrogates appearing separately rather than together at scheduled rallies and services during the final 72 hours of the race.
The knock-on effects could influence future primary strategies and the level of cooperation between moderate and progressive wings of the Michigan Democratic Party. It sets a precedent for how candidates handle third-party advertisements that link international conflicts to local economic conditions. What happens next is the final weekend of campaigning, followed by the general election on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The results of that vote will determine who represents Michigan in the Senate for the next six years.