By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., has accused Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed of retaliating against Rep. Haley Stevens for challenging his positions on Israel and comments about political spending, intensifying a Democratic Party dispute that escalated Sunday when Stevens endorsed Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers.
Fetterman criticized El-Sayed after his campaign reportedly asked Stevens, whom he defeated in the August Democratic primary, to stay away from campaign events during the final days before Tuesday’s midterm elections.
In an Oct. 31 interview with Jewish Insider, Fetterman defended Stevens’ public criticism of El-Sayed and accused the nominee of overreacting to her concerns.
“Rep. Haley Stevens simply held Abdul El-Sayed accountable for his views on Israel and fixation with Jewish money,” Fetterman said.
“El-Sayed is going after a woman and banning her from campaign events for having an opinion. El-Sayed’s overreaction demonstrates why he struggles with groups of Michigan voters. He has the worst case of little man syndrome I’ve ever seen.”
The Pennsylvania senator’s remarks followed several days of public disagreements between El-Sayed and Stevens over an advertisement produced by an outside political organization supporting the Democratic nominee.
The advertisement, created by Rebellion PAC, linked American financial assistance to Israel with rising household expenses in the United States. Stevens condemned its message as antisemitic and urged El-Sayed to explicitly reject it.
El-Sayed, an outspoken critic of Israeli government policies and American military assistance to Israel, said the advertisement was not produced by his campaign and that he disagreed with its contents. He rejected Stevens’ demands for additional public statements and accused her of reopening disagreements from their primary contest.
The dispute became a significant political controversy because the two Democrats had previously agreed to support the party’s nominee in Michigan’s closely watched Senate race.
Stevens initially endorsed El-Sayed after losing the August primary and reaffirmed that support during a CNN interview Wednesday, Oct. 28.
However, she also maintained that El-Sayed had not adequately addressed concerns among Jewish and Black voters about the campaign’s messaging.
In an Oct. 30 statement, Stevens argued that merely distancing himself from the Rebellion PAC advertisement was insufficient.
“A disclaimer is not a condemnation, and everyone in my community knows the difference,” Stevens said.
She accused El-Sayed of repeatedly connecting American support for Israel to domestic economic problems, arguing that the advertisement amplified rhetoric he had already used during the campaign.
Stevens also called on the nominee to remove a campaign advertisement featuring conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, citing concerns about its reception among Black voters.
She urged El-Sayed to apologize for statements she considered objectionable and to make a clearer distinction between legitimate disagreements over foreign policy and rhetoric targeting Jewish Americans.
El-Sayed responded by accusing Stevens of attempting to revive their primary contest rather than focusing on defeating Rogers.
“While Congresswoman Stevens seems intent on relitigating a primary that ended three months ago, let’s all focus on the task at hand: that’s beating Mike Rogers, holding Trump accountable, and getting money out of politics, putting money in pockets, and passing Medicare for All,” El-Sayed said.
His campaign also referenced outside spending during the Democratic primary, including spending by organizations supporting Stevens.
The campaign said its victory demonstrated that voters had rejected the influence of major donors and political organizations.
The dispute highlighted a broader disagreement within the Democratic Party over American support for Israel, campaign contributions from pro-Israel organizations and the limits of political criticism involving Jewish identity.
Stevens has been a strong supporter of Israel and its relationship with the United States, while El-Sayed has advocated restricting military assistance and criticized Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
Their differences became prominent during the primary campaign and continued after El-Sayed secured the nomination.
The conflict intensified when Stevens’ fiancé, Jason Turkish, publicly endorsed Rogers and attended a Republican Jewish Coalition event supporting the Republican candidate.
Turkish cited disagreements over El-Sayed’s treatment of Israel and Jewish voters as reasons for his decision.
At that time, Stevens maintained that she remained committed to supporting the Democratic nominee despite her fiancé’s endorsement.
The two Democrats had been scheduled to appear together Sunday at a Detroit church event organized with assistance from Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., who supported Stevens during the primary.
The planned appearance was intended to demonstrate unity before Election Day.
Instead, El-Sayed’s campaign reportedly informed Stevens that she should not attend its remaining events.
The request was confirmed in reporting by Reuters and other news organizations, although campaign representatives framed the decision as an effort to avoid distractions rather than punishment for Stevens’ political views.
Speaking to reporters Saturday, El-Sayed said he wanted attention directed toward voters’ concerns.
“I don’t want any distractions,” he said. “It seems as though other folks are more interested in making this race about things that it’s not about.”
Fetterman interpreted the exclusion differently, describing it as an inappropriate response to Stevens’ criticism of the nominee.
His comments added to existing tensions among Democrats over El-Sayed’s candidacy and his approach to addressing concerns about antisemitism.
The disagreement took another turn Sunday, Nov. 1, when Stevens appeared alongside Rogers at Perfecting Church in Detroit and publicly endorsed the Republican candidate.
According to Associated Press reporting on the endorsement, Stevens said El-Sayed’s decision to exclude her from campaign activities influenced her decision to support his opponent.
“You may have seen our Democratic nominee for US Senate, Abdul, said I was no longer welcome in his campaign and I should stay away,” Stevens said in a video announcing her endorsement.
“And he’s right. And that’s why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today. I don’t belong in Abdul’s campaign.”
Stevens said she remained a Democrat but no longer believed El-Sayed’s campaign reflected the principles she wanted represented in the Senate.
“Who we are as Michiganders is not hate, and is not what we are getting out from our Democratic nominee right now,” she said.
Her announcement represented an unusual break with party leadership just two days before the general election.
Democratic leaders criticized the endorsement, while Rogers and Republican officials welcomed the support.
Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Curtis Hertel and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer condemned Stevens’ decision to back the Republican nominee.
Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., also said she had advised Stevens against attending the planned Democratic unity event because the ongoing disagreements had become a distraction.
El-Sayed sought to minimize the controversy, telling reporters he was focused on economic concerns and defeating Rogers rather than continuing the dispute with Stevens.
The Democratic nominee faces Rogers in the contest to succeed retiring Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich.
The election has national significance because the parties are competing for control of the Senate, and Michigan’s open seat is among the closely watched contests.
The disagreement has also renewed attention to political spending during the Democratic primary.
Stevens benefited from substantial outside expenditures, including support from groups aligned with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. El-Sayed campaigned against that spending and emphasized small-dollar contributions.
Critics, including Fetterman, have questioned whether El-Sayed’s repeated emphasis on pro-Israel political spending employs language that could reinforce antisemitic stereotypes.
El-Sayed and his supporters have defended criticism of political contributions and foreign policy influence as legitimate subjects of public debate.
The distinction between criticizing political organizations and invoking stereotypes about Jewish people remains central to the dispute.
Fetterman’s intervention reflects his longstanding disagreements with progressive Democrats over Israel.
The Pennsylvania senator has maintained strong support for Israel and repeatedly criticized members of his party who he believes have failed to adequately confront antisemitism.
His public defense of Stevens underscored the divisions surrounding El-Sayed’s nomination even before she announced her endorsement of Rogers.
As Michigan voters prepare for the Nov. 3 election, the dispute has evolved from disagreements over campaign advertisements and Israel policy into a direct endorsement of the Republican nominee by El-Sayed’s former Democratic opponent.
Fetterman has not withdrawn his criticism of El-Sayed, and the nominee has continued emphasizing economic issues and his opposition to President Donald Trump’s agenda.
The confrontation leaves Michigan Democrats divided in the final days of a Senate election that will help determine the balance of power in Washington.
Original article
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