Tensions in Michigan's Democratic US Senate primary flared online following a sharp exchange between Representative Haley Stevens and opponent Abdul El-Sayed regarding spending by the pro-Israel lobbying organization AIPAC.
The controversy intensified after a video clip went viral featuring El-Sayed directly challenging AIPAC, which has invested heavily in advertising opposing his Senate bid. In the clip, El-Sayed called out the group for backing Stevens.
“You picked [Stevens] the least capable candidate in America… If you think you can beat money out of politics, money in your pocket, medicare for all, come. I’ll tell you what people don’t want: they don’t want money in a foreign government," El-Sayed says in the recording.
Stevens, who is not Jewish, responded with a multi-part statement posted to social media, dismissing El-Sayed’s campaign credentials and addressing his characterization of political funding.
"Abdul, we were both on the ballot in 2018. I was capable of winning my competitive primary and general election. You lost. You lost by over twenty points to Gretchen Whitmer and you will lose to Mike Rogers by talking like this," she wrote.
“Everyone in America understands you want to blame all of your problems on Jewish Americans. But buddy, let me be very clear, I will lower the costs of groceries, ban stock trading for elected officials, stop Trump's abuses of power, and protect Michigan manufacturing. And you’ll just be a celebrity whining and writing books to get even richer. You’re part of the complainer class, looking for their next book or podcast deal. Bro, I just want to work for Michigan," added Stevens.
El-Sayed has drawn heavy scrutiny for his hardline stances on the Middle East, including publicly labeling Israel's military actions in Gaza a "genocide" and calling the Israeli government "as evil as Hamas."
Furthermore, El-Sayed has repeatedly rebuffed questions regarding Israel's fundamental right to exist as a Jewish state and has advocated for a complete halt to all US military assistance, both offensive and defensive, to Israel.
El-Sayed's anti-establishment platform has earned him high-profile endorsements from Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, both of whom have been critics of Israel’s government as well.
Stevens commands backing from Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and picked up an immediate endorsement from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel following the withdrawal of Mallory McMorrow from the race earlier this month.
(Arutz Sheva-Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)