With three days left until the 2026 midterm elections, a Democratic Party civil war has erupted in Michigan between progressive Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and former primary opponent Rep. Haley Stevens.
The split started when Stevens's fiancé, Jason Turkish, said Wednesday that he would be casting a vote for El-Sayed's opponent, Republican candidate Mike Rogers.
Stevens appeared on CNN hours later to reaffirm that she would be voting for El-Sayed, but urged his campaign to 'shut out the hate and call it out.'
On Thursday, the two seemed to make amends and scheduled a Sunday campaign event at a church in Detroit with South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn, an influential Democrat seen as a major force in Joe Biden's 2020 primary win.
Stevens then released a social media statement on Friday criticizing El-Sayed and demanding he condemn an ad linking US support for Israel to rising grocery prices.
El-Sayed's campaign has since asked Stevens to stay away from the event, MS NOW reported Saturday.
El-Sayed sidestepped questions from reporters about whether he wanted Stevens to appear with him, saying that she 'wants to talk about other things.'
When directly asked if Stevens was 'trying to rat f***' his campaign, he laughed and said: 'That is not a question for me.'
Abdul El–Sayed's campaign has asked former Democratic primary opponent Rep. Haley Stevens to stay away from a church event on Sunday and future events
Stevens' fiancé, Jason Turkish, said Wednesday that he would be casting a vote for Republican candidate Mike Rogers
The invitation for Stevens to attend church 'still stands,' according to Clyburn adviser Antjuan Seawright
Rogers said he would welcome Stevens 'to join us at an event or any of our campaign events,' according to MS NOW.
Read More
Which midterm races should YOU be watching? Enter your zip code in our exclusive election calculator
Clyburn adviser Antjuan Seawright said the invitation for Stevens to attend church 'still stands,' the outlet reported.
It appears as though El-Sayed's distancing from Stevens could extend past the scheduled church event.
His campaign asked Stevens to stay away from all future campaign events ahead of the election next week, Politico reported.
A source told the outlet that Stevens should remain away to not 'distract from the central issues of the campaign,' per the report.
On Thursday, El-Sayed said when asked by reporters about the church event with Stevens that 'we're always trying to unify the party.'
He said that an event had not happened sooner because of their busy schedules.
The progressive candidate added then that 'nobody cares' about party dynamics given the high cost of living.
El–Sayed said that Stevens 'wants to talk about other things' when asked on Saturday if he wanted her to appear with him at the church
The one-minute spot at the center of the spat was run by the leftist commentator Cenk Uygur's Rebellion PAC. Uygur is controversial streamer Hasan Piker's uncle.
El-Sayed, a vocal critic of Israel, previously campaigned with Piker, drawing concern from some in Michigan's Jewish community.
The ad features moments during conversations in a grocery store, including one where a woman tells a man she can't afford eggs because they had to use their money 'killing Palestinians.'
El-Sayed's campaign has noted that the ad was not made or endorsed by the campaign and said it 'has always been focused on addressing the most critical challenges Michiganders are facing.'
El-Sayed himself told reporters on Saturday that he did 'not agree with the contents of that ad.'
In response, Stevens said she was glad to see El-Sayed say he did not agree 'with the content of the vile... ad which claimed Israel and Jews were to blame for the high costs of groceries.'
New Haley Stevens statement:
— Nicholas Wu (@nicholaswu12) November 1, 2026
“I was glad to see our senate nominee say he does not agree with the content of the vile Rebellion PAC ad which claimed Israel and Jews were to blame for the high costs of groceries.” pic.twitter.com/Jsu2VzdNnm
'Whenever anyone tries to set us against each other, we have an obligation to stand up and fight back,' Stevens added. 'This is what our constituents deserve from those of us in elected leadership.'
Stevens had forcefully pushed back on the ad on Friday and suggested El-Sayed should do more to reject it.
She is a staunch supporter of Israel who represents a district with a significant Jewish community in Detroit's suburbs.
On the eve of the eve of the eve of our BIG and important election, a unifying moment has arrived, our democratic nominee for U.S Senate disavows the Rebellion PAC ad made by Hasan Piker’s uncle that claims Jews are responsible for America’s economic woes. We have learned from… pic.twitter.com/y8BRiV9odX
— Haley Stevens (@HaleyforMI) October 30, 2026
El-Sayed and Stevens last appeared together on August 6, two days after the primary.
Stevens, who lost the primary by just under 1 percentage point, pledged to support El-Sayed and said she would do 'whatever he wants me to do' on the campaign trail.
Michigan hasn't elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1994. Donald Trump won the state in 2016 and 2024.
Republicans face political challenges of their own, particularly voter dissatisfaction with Trump, the Iran war and high costs.
Rogers has remained closely aligned with the president on most issues, appearing alongside him at a Michigan rally last Sunday where he credited Trump with bringing manufacturing jobs back to the state.
Trump has repeatedly attacked El-Sayed's Muslim faith, calling him a 'jihadist' and saying that he was 'on the side of terrorists.'
He previously said: 'If you're black, or if you're Jewish, and you vote for Abdul, you're not smart.'
Both candidates are trying to win over black voters, particularly in Detroit's Wayne County, where Stevens defeated El-Sayed in the Democratic primary.
El-Sayed's church event with Clyburn is part of that effort.
Meanwhile, Rogers has visited a reading remediation program at a Detroit high school and discussed housing costs with residents in Pontiac, north of the city.
Early voting in Michigan started on October 24.
The Daily Mail has reached out to El-Sayed and Stevens for comment.
Source link
