Michigan feud threatens Democratic unity in key Senate race
Abdul El-Sayed disinvites former primary rival Haley Stevens from campaign event amid war of words over Israel
Democratic unity appeared to be faltering in the key Midwestern Senate battleground of Michigan after a feud broke out between progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed and his moderate former primary rival Haley Stevens.
The intraparty tensions in Michigan boiled over with just days to go before Tuesday’s midterm elections, spoiling Democratic attempts to maintain solidarity between its ideological factions as the party looks to deliver a sharp rebuke to US President Donald Trump.
Michigan is a crucial state for the control of the upper chamber of Congress. Democrats are defending a seat against Republican challenger Mike Rogers, with polls showing an exceedingly tight race.
El-Sayed emerged as the winner of a bitter primary race against Stevens in August, but the pair have struggled to project a common front against Rogers in the midterms election.
El-Sayed and Stevens were supposed to campaign together on Sunday, but the Democratic candidate asked Stevens not to attend after she criticised him for failing to condemn an ad by his supporters that suggested high grocery prices were driven by US military support for Israel.
“I’ve already been clear that that ad was not made by me and I do not agree with the contents of that ad,” El-Sayed told reporters on Saturday.
“Most people don’t care about this, like, intrigue stuff that you all love to carry. It is not of concern to the vast majority of Michiganders. People here are struggling to afford their gas. They’re struggling to afford their groceries. They’re struggling to see a doctor,” he added.
Stevens issued a statement on Friday saying she planned to attend the Sunday event organised by veteran Democratic congressman Jim Clyburn, but then lashed out at El-Sayed over the ad.
“A disclaimer is not a condemnation, and everyone in my community knows the difference,” she said.
“Abdul promises to get money out of politics. He can begin by getting Israel out of his explanation for everything Michigan cannot afford,” she added.
While Stevens has not withdrawn her endorsement of El-Sayed, her fiancé Jason Turkish is backing Rogers. “We have a nominee who just won’t say this is wrong,” he told Fox News, adding that El-Sayed’s stance puts “Jews at risk”.
Many Michigan Democrats have been shaken by the discord.
“First of all, I have no idea what the hell Stevens is doing,” said Mallory McMorrow, a Democrat who ran against both of them in the primary race, before endorsing El-Sayed. “This is a moment where we have to recognise the stakes,” she told CNN.
Democrats are already facing a huge challenge in their effort to win back control of the US Senate on Tuesday, which would require a net gain of four seats in the upper chamber of Congress.
The party is eyeing possible victories over Republicans in a series of staunchly conservative states ranging from North Carolina and Texas to Ohio, Alaska and Iowa — a defeat in Michigan would present an even greater hurdle as they would need to flip five seats in order to win the majority.