Abdul El-Sayed campaign doesn't want Haley Stevens at Senate race events before Election Day
FOX 2 - There appears to be a breakup brewing in the Dr. Abdul El-Sayed and Haley Stevens political union just ahead of Tuesday's Election Day finish line.
Big picture view:
Politico reports that the El-Sayed campaign wants Haley Stevens to stay away from a scheduled appearance at a Detroit church Sunday – and to avoid the campaign trail altogether, in the ramp-up to Tuesday.
FOX 2 contacted a spokesperson with the campaign who confirmed the Politico report's accuracy. A request for comment was made to the Stevens' camp, but have not received a response yet.
This follows a recent back-and-forth between the candidates over support for Israel.
Some say the endorsement of Stevens, who represents the more moderate section of the party, is vital for the more progressive El-Sayed.
Political ad controversy
Dig deeper:
El-Sayed's recent political ad that Stevens labeled antisemitic, appears to be the flashpoint of the discord.
It produced by a Rebellion PAC and produced by liberal pundit Cenk Uygur, the uncle of his campaign surrogate and controversial streamer Hasan Piker.
The ad – which Stevens said in a statement she expects El-Sayed to condemn – suggests that Israel is to blame for making prices higher for Michigan families, so money can be sent to "kill Palestinians."
El-Sayed's response according to Stevens, is that his campaign is not affiliated with it.
Stevens released a statement that she expects El-Sayed to condemn it at Sunday's event with South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn, a national Democratic leader within the party.
"It blames our close ally Israel for everything Michiganders cannot afford," Stevens said in a statement. "The chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League called it 'a case study in antisemitism.' A disclaimer is not a condemnation, and everyone in my community knows the difference."
Stevens followed up pointing out that El-Sayed, who is a Muslim of Egyptian descent, has made similar comments on the campaign trail at rallies and in interviews.
El-Sayed responds to Stevens
The other side:
El-Sayed responded to the Stevens statement with one of his own, suggesting Stevens was the higher-funded establishment choice against his "people-powered campaign" which defeated what he claims was a historic $70 million in outside spending to fund her.
"So 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," he said.
The two faced off in a hotly contested primary, barely won by the former top Wayne County and Detroit health director.
The report quoted a campaign source who said Stevens appearing would only be a distraction for the campaign in the race against Republican nominee Mike Rogers.
"The brushoff capped a day of the two lobbing increasingly pointed statements back and forth at each other, frustrating Democrats who say the infighting risks imperiling a state the party can hardly afford to lose as they try to flip control of the Senate," Politico reported.
McMorrow rips Stevens
Mallory McMorrow, a campaign surrogate for El-Sayed did not mince words criticizing Stevens in a recent CNN interview.
"First of all, I have no idea what the hell Haley Stevens is doing. This is a moment where we have to recognize the stakes," she told Kasie Hunt. "We may very well be the state that sends the 51st Democrat to the Senate (to take the majority)."
McMorrow, a current state senator who failed in her primary bid in the US Senate race, went on to say that "nobody cares about ads" but rather the affordability crisis.
Other voices weigh in
What they're saying:
Stevens' fiancé Jason Turkish made waves in a recent national interviews saying he supported Mike Rogers.
Turkish, a civil rights attorney, said that one group of people should not be blamed for high costs. Stevens responded by telling CNN that like many families under the same roof, it is natural to have loved ones with different political opinions.
El-Sayed's rival Rogers, a former longtime GOP House representative, weighed in to support Stevens, calling her a courageous leader.
"She was absolutely right to call on Abdul El-Sayed to denounce the Rebellion PAC ad and she was right to call on him to apologize for espousing the same hateful ideology behind it," he said.
The Source: This report is based on outside confirmation of a Politico story, as well as published statements from candidates and previous coverage.