Detroit — Tensions over support from an influential and well-funded pro-Israel political action committee to U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens’ Senate campaign are rising in the final days of her nationally watched showdown with Democratic rival Abdul El-Sayed.
Days before the Aug. 4 primary, Stevens in a late Thursday night post on X said El-Sayed wants to “blame all of your problems on Jewish Americans.”
“You lost by over twenty points to Gretchen Whitmer and you will lose to Mike Rogers by talking like this,” Stevens wrote, referencing El-Sayed’s failed 2018 gubernatorial bid and the presumptive Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers. “Everyone in America understands you want to blame all of your problems on Jewish Americans.”
El-Sayed, who is Muslim, has repeatedly attacked the prolific spending by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, in Stevens’ favor this election. United Democracy Project, which has been funded in part by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee or AIPAC, is slated to spend $28.5 million either supporting Stevens or attacking El-Sayed.
“At the end of the day, I love and revere Judaism and the Jewish people,” El-Sayed said when asked about Stevens’ post at a Saturday campaign event in Detroit. “It’s sad to see a campaign flailing at the very end after having burnt $70 million in money. Our focus is on continuing to build our campaign.”
Stevens’ Senate bid has been aided by a staggering 11-to-1 advantage in outside spending.
Stevens and El-Sayed are making final pleas to Democratic voters in the last days before Tuesday’s primary election in Michigan.
El-Sayed called on supporters to vote early — Detroit early voting sites are open Saturday and Sunday — during a Saturday rally at the church of the Rev. Horace Sheffield, father of Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield.
“We’re taking on the power of their money with the power of our many,” El-Sayed said. “Now, let’s go take our democracy back.”
El-Sayed focuses final message on health care affordability, money in politics
El-Sayed detailed his work as former Wayne County health director — checking for lead in schools’ drinking water, wiping medical debt and providing free health insurance and life-saving overdose medication. He then appealed to frustrated voters struggling with the rising cost of living and the growing income gap between low-income families and the nation’s highest earners.
“Y’all, it just shouldn’t be this hard in the richest, most powerful country in the world to pay your rent or believe you can ever own a home,” El-Sayed said. “It shouldn’t be this hard to see a doctor. It should not be this hard to pay your taxes and know that that money is being spent on you, rather than against someone else.”
“Money out of?” El-Sayed asked, to which a crowd of about 30 campaign volunteers and other candidates, including gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson and 13th Congressional District hopeful Donavan McKinney, yelled “politics.”
“Money in your?” he asked.
“Pocket,” the crowd shouted.
“Medicare for?” El-Sayed asked. “All.”
El-Sayed has scheduled another rally in Grand Rapids later Saturday. Stevens is set to hold a campaign event in Detroit the same day.
sballentine@detroitnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: El-Sayed spars with Stevens over claim that he blames Jewish Americans
Reporting by Summer Ballentine, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Summer Ballentine, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
