Rep. Haley Stevens says she will vote for Abdul El-Sayed—but refuses to campaign with him and urges him to disown incendiary ads days before Michigan votes.
Story Highlights
- Stevens backs El-Sayed as the Democratic nominee but won’t appear with him this week.
- She pressed him to denounce an outside ad on Israel and pull a Tucker Carlson-themed spot.
- El-Sayed’s team says the outside Israel ad is not tied to his campaign.
- Stevens’s fiancé says he will vote for Republican Mike Rogers, calling El-Sayed antisemitic.
Stevens Splits Support From Campaigning
Rep. Haley Stevens said she will cast her ballot for Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s Senate race but stated she would not join him on the trail in the final week. The New York Times quoted her message, “I am not campaigning with Abdul,” even as she affirmed support for the party nominee. That gap matters. Voters often read it as a lack of confidence. It also undercuts the usual full-court press that parties want in close races near Election Day.
The Detroit News previously reported Stevens endorsed El-Sayed after losing their August primary and that she “still supports” him. But her support came with clear pressure. She urged El-Sayed to “do the right thing” by rejecting two ads: a campaign spot that features Tucker Carlson quotes about Republican Mike Rogers, and a separate outside-group ad about Israel that she called “hateful” and “fearmongering”. Her stance tries to separate party loyalty from tactics that risk inflaming religious and ethnic tensions.
Ad Controversies Put Democrats On Defense
El-Sayed’s campaign said the Israel-related ad came from Rebellion Political Action Committee and was “not affiliated in any way” with his operation. That claim matters under federal campaign rules that prohibit coordination with outside groups. Still, the content’s impact remains the point for voters. The ad has drawn sharp criticism for its message linking U.S. aid to Israel to grocery costs. Stevens labeled it fearmongering and warned it hurts Democrats in Michigan.
Stevens also called on El-Sayed to remove his own ad that features Tucker Carlson. The El-Sayed spot highlights Carlson saying he “wouldn’t vote for Mike Rogers at gunpoint,” framing it as conservative-on-conservative criticism of Rogers, not praise for Carlson. The campaign’s line is that using a well-known critic exposes Rogers’s record. For many Michigan voters, though, seeing a far-left Democrat lean on a polarizing media figure is jarring and feels cynical, especially so late in the race.
‘House Divided’ Storyline Gains Steam
The family split added fuel. Stevens’s fiancé, attorney Jason Turkish, said he will vote for Republican Mike Rogers and accused El-Sayed of antisemitism, as covered by The Detroit News and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. That public break complicates Stevens’s already limited show of support and gives Republicans a clean contrast. El-Sayed’s team has tried to steady the ship, stressing that only he and his campaign speak for him, and reiterating his commitment to Jewish safety while noting policy differences on Israel.
Democrats now face a trust problem of their own making. Voters can back Israel and still expect honest debate without cheap shots. When a party’s recent primary rival says she supports the nominee but will not stand beside him, that signals risk. It also echoes a broader pattern in politics: independent spending groups push sharp, identity-focused messages while campaigns claim distance. Voters are left to sort it out with little time and even less patience.
What Matters For Michigan Voters
Michigan families want leaders who defend faith, family, and security—without pitting neighbors against each other. They also want clarity. Who paid for what ad? Who stands behind its claims? The reporting so far confirms Stevens’s vote for El-Sayed, her call to pull or denounce the two ads, and El-Sayed’s denial of ties to the Rebellion Political Action Committee ad. The record does not yet show full authorship details or funding chains for the outside spot.
HOUSE DIVIDED: Rep. Haley Stevens' fiancé, a Jewish registered Democrat, says he's voting for Republican Mike Rogers over Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan — calling El-Sayed an antisemite whose rhetoric makes Jewish communities "less safe."
Stevens' fiancé, a… pic.twitter.com/10v6LxnMNB
— Fox News Politics (@foxnewspolitics) October 29, 2026
Here is the bottom line. Stevens’s reluctant posture, the outside-group ad about Israel, and the Tucker Carlson-themed hit on Rogers together paint a party at odds with itself. That confusion helps Republicans. It also reminds voters why message discipline and moral clarity matter. President Trump and Republicans have argued for secure borders, stable prices, and strong alliances built on honesty. Michigan voters now get to judge which side looks ready to lead—and which looks divided and wobbly.
Sources:
redstate.com, detroitnews.com, nytimes.com, jta.org
