WASHINGTON, The race for the Democratic nomination for the US Senate seat in Michigan intensified after Representative Haley Stevens accused rival Abdul El-Sayed of unfairly blaming Jewish Americans during a dispute over the pro-Israel lobbying organization AIPAC.
The exchange came after a video of El-Sayed speaking at a campaign event circulated widely on social media.
El-Sayed Challenges AIPAC
In the viral clip, El-Sayed criticized the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), accusing the organization of spending heavily to influence the Democratic primary race.
Addressing the lobbying group, El-Sayed said:
“Come for me.”
He also argued that voters wanted less money in politics and suggested that foreign policy interests should not influence American elections.
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Stevens Responds
Haley Stevens, who is considered a moderate Democrat and is not Jewish, responded in a social media post criticizing El-Sayed’s remarks.
She accused him of attempting to shift responsibility for his political difficulties onto Jewish Americans, writing that Americans understood he was blaming “all of your problems on Jewish Americans.”
Her comments further escalated tensions in an already competitive Democratic primary campaign.
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AIPAC’s Role in the Race
AIPAC has played a prominent role in several US congressional and Senate races by supporting candidates it considers strongly supportive of Israel.
The organization has reportedly invested significant resources in Michigan’s Democratic Senate contest, making the race one of the closely watched political battles ahead of the election.
El-Sayed has repeatedly criticized AIPAC’s influence on campaign financing, while Stevens has maintained support from pro-Israel groups during the campaign.
The dispute highlights growing divisions within the Democratic Party over US policy toward Israel, campaign financing, and the role of political action committees in federal elections.
