U.S. Representative Haley Stevens, a moderate Democratic Senate candidate from Michigan, accused her primary rival Abdul El-Sayed on Friday of blaming all of his problems on Jewish Americans after he again targeted the pro-Israel AIPAC lobby just days before the August 4 primary vote.
In a social media clip that went viral, El-Sayed is heard urging AIPAC to "come for me." He said, "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," referring to AIPAC, which has spent heavily in the campaign against him.
The Scapegoating Charge
Responding to those remarks, Stevens suggested El-Sayed will be a less viable candidate in the general election versus a Republican, before telling him that "everyone in America understands you want to blame all of your problems on Jewish Americans." Stevens, who is not Jewish, wrote on X: "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."
The criticism from Stevens came days before the August 4 primary vote, which AIPAC has spent record levels on in an effort to defeat the anti-Israel El-Sayed, who has made opposition to the pro-Israel group the key issue in the race. El-Sayed's rhetoric against AIPAC and Israel has alarmed many Jewish Democrats in Michigan, some of whom are now reconsidering their loyalty to the party if he's victorious in the primary, which they believe would portend an existential threat to the national Jewish community.
A National Pattern Emerges
If El-Sayed wins in a swing state, some fear more candidates with similar views will follow, and lead to an unsafe environment for Jews in Michigan and beyond. The nationwide importance of the race and the Jewish vote was underscored when New York State Republicans recently made an explicit appeal for Jewish Democrats, stating in a digital ad campaign that Jews were leaving the party "in droves" "from Maine to Michigan."
Before he dropped out as the Democratic Senate nominee in Maine over sexual assault allegations he has denied, Graham Platner put anti-Israel criticism near the center of his platform, and opposition to the Jewish state has also helped fuel the primary wins of left-wing candidates in New York, Colorado and elsewhere. The pattern suggests a broader shift within Democratic primaries, where candidates who center their campaigns on opposition to Israel and pro-Israel advocacy groups are finding electoral success in certain districts and states.
Stevens's direct accusation that El-Sayed is scapegoating Jewish Americans represents one of the sharpest intra-party confrontations over Israel and the role of Jewish voters in the 2026 cycle. The exchange highlights the growing divide within the Democratic Party over Middle East policy and the domestic political consequences of that divide, particularly in states with significant Jewish populations like Michigan.
Why This Matters:
The Michigan Democratic Senate primary has become a flashpoint for the party's deepening internal conflict over Israel and the political targeting of pro-Israel advocacy groups. If El-Sayed wins in a swing state after centering his campaign on opposition to AIPAC and Israel, it could signal to other candidates that anti-Israel positioning is electorally viable even in competitive general election environments. The alarm expressed by Jewish Democrats in Michigan—some of whom are reconsidering their party loyalty—reflects concerns that the Democratic Party is becoming inhospitable to Jewish voters and their security concerns. The New York State Republicans' digital ad campaign targeting Jewish Democrats "from Maine to Michigan" suggests that the GOP sees an opening to peel away Jewish voters who feel abandoned by their traditional political home. The pattern of anti-Israel candidates winning primaries in New York, Colorado, and potentially Michigan could reshape the Democratic Party's foreign policy consensus and create what some Jewish community leaders fear will be an unsafe political environment for American Jews.