Democrat civil war breaks out in Michigan just days away from midterm elections with vicious sniping over controversial ‘anti-Israel’ TV ad… as ‘blue tsunami’ risks turning into a ripple

Abdul El-Sayed and former Democrat primary opponent Haley Stevens reignited their intra-party feud just four days before a key Senate election in swing state Michigan.

El-Sayed, a progressive who previously campaigned with controversial streamer Hasan Piker, surprised many when he narrowly defeated the more moderate Stevens in the August primary. 

Now, with El-Sayed facing off against Republican candidate Mike Rogers, the pair of Democrats have begun feuding again with just days to go in a purple state won by Donald Trump two years ago. 

Tensions again spilled into public view Wednesday when Stevens’ fiancé, Jason Turkish, told The Detroit News that he would vote for Republican Mike Rogers.

Hours later, Stevens appeared on CNN to reaffirm that she would be voting for El-Sayed, but urged his campaign to ‘shut out the hate and call it out.’ 

She said El-Sayed needs to reach out to people who were part of her coalition and ‘make them feel comfortable about coming to the polls.’

On Thursday, the pair appeared to make amends and scheduled a Sunday campaign event in Detroit with South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn, an influential Democrat seen as a major force in Joe Biden’s 2020 primary win.

Then on Friday, Stevens released a lengthy statement on social media criticizing her former rival and demanding he condemn an advertisement linking US support for Israel to rising grocery prices and address concerns about his past rhetoric.

The spot, run by the leftist commentator – and Piker’s uncle – Cenk Uygur, featured shocking 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.’

‘Abdul promises to get money out of politics,’ Stevens wrote in a lengthy statement early Friday. 

‘He can begin by getting Israel out of his explanation for everything Michigan cannot afford.’

El-Sayed has apologized for some of his past comments while attempting to unify Democrats.

But in a statement Friday, El-Sayed touted his defeat of Stevens and said that while she ‘seems intent on relitigating a primary… let’s all focus on the task at hand: beating Mike Rogers.’

A source with El-Sayed’s campaign is now asking Stevens not to appear at any future campaign events ‘as not to distract from the central issues of the campaign,’ they told Politico. 

Mallory McMorrow, who also ran for the nomination before dropping out and endorsing El-Sayed, exclaimed: ‘I have no idea what the hell Haley Stevens is doing. This is a moment where we have to recognize the stakes.’

‘Every Democrat was singing the same tune but now, because one person is tone deaf, the whole choir is thrown off,’ one source not working for El-Sayed’s campaign said of Stevens.  

Rogers – who has been working to court Jewish Democratic voters – later applauded Stevens, calling her ‘a courageous leader who deserves the respect of every Michigan voter.’ 

He said Stevens was ‘absolutely right to call’ on El-Sayed to denounce the ad. ‘It is as shameful as it is disappointing that his response to her clearly shows that he does not care about those concerns,’ Rogers wrote on X.

President Donald Trump was much more blunt in a statement at a rally in Daytona Beach, Florida Friday. 

‘If you’re Black, or if you’re Jewish, and you vote for Abdul, you’re not smart,’ he said. 

The RealClearPolitics polling averages currently shows El-Sayed leading Rogers by five points. 

Michigan hasn’t elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1994, but 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 Sunday where he credited Trump with bringing manufacturing jobs back to the state.

The rally took place in Port Huron, just across the river from Canada, a country with deep economic ties to Michigan that Trump has targeted with tariffs.

El-Sayed has held campaign events in heavily Republican areas, including Michigan´s Upper Peninsula. 

His team also released an ad featuring clips of prominent conservative figures praising him, including former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who has faced accusations of antisemitism that he denies.

But the ad created another source of friction with some Jewish voters.

Rabbi Aaron Starr of Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield criticized both the Rebellion PAC ad and El-Sayed´s campaign ad during a call with reporters.

‘We are one week away from the election, and it feels like the temperature has turned way up,’ Starr said. 

‘Instead of things getting better over the last seven weeks, they´ve actually gotten worse.’

Trump has repeatedly attacked El-Sayed´s Muslim faith, calling him a ‘jihadist’ and saying Sunday that he was ‘on the side of terrorists.’

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 event with  Clyburn is part of an effort to shore up support among Black voters. 

Much of El-Sayed’s final campaign stretch has included appearances in Detroit.

Rogers has also sought to make inroads with Black voters. He visited a reading remediation program at a Detroit high school and discussed housing costs with residents in Pontiac, north of the city. 

Earlier this month, his wife handed out $10 gift cards at a gas station.

El-Sayed and Stevens last appeared together on Aug. 6, two days after the primary. Stevens pledged to support El-Sayed, telling CBS News she would do ‘whatever he wants me to do’ on the campaign trail.

But divisions from the contentious primary have persisted. Nearly $60 million was spent on advertising attacking El-Sayed, including $30 million from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC. 

Stevens is a staunch supporter of Israel who represents a district with a large Jewish community in Detroit´s suburbs.

The church visit on Sunday is intended to further that elusive unity, although its impact is uncertain, given that it comes just two days before the election. 

Michigan early voting started Octobert 24.