Progressive supporters of Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed reacted angrily Sunday after Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens endorsed his Republican opponent, Mike Rogers.
Stevens narrowly lost to El-Sayed in the Democratic primary and had criticized him for not condemning antisemitic comments made by some of his supporters. The two traded criticism in recent days. El-Sayed then withdrew Stevens’ invitation to a campaign event intended to show party unity, and she went on to back Rogers.
Progressive streamer Hasan Piker questioned Stevens’ motives in a post on X, saying she was “weirdly obsessed with Israel.” He argued that the race should focus on affordability, democracy and serving Michigan, and accused Stevens and Rogers of serving President Trump.
Mehdi Hasan, editor-in-chief of Zeteo News, also attacked Stevens on X. He called her dishonest and said she had told The New York Times less than two days earlier that she supported El-Sayed. Hasan criticized Democratic leaders for backing her and described her endorsement as rooted in Islamophobia.
Former Democratic National Committee Vice Chair David Hogg urged Democrats who had supported Stevens to condemn her decision, calling it a betrayal. Stevens has said she remains a proud Democrat.
The endorsement came after controversy over an ad from Rebellion PAC, a group founded by Young Turks host Cenk Uygur that supports El-Sayed. The ad showed grocery shoppers blaming U.S. military aid to Israel for high food prices. Stevens called it antisemitic and urged El-Sayed to denounce it. His campaign said it had no connection to the ad, and El-Sayed said he disagreed with its message.
Before Stevens announced her endorsement, Uygur defended the ad, saying it criticized Israel rather than Jewish people and that reporters had misrepresented it. On Sunday, he claimed Stevens backed Rogers because her political influence came from the pro-Israel lobby and AIPAC funding.
Former Obama aides Jon Lovett and Tommy Vietor, co-hosts of “Pod Save America,” also criticized Stevens. Lovett said she had changed her position on supporting El-Sayed several times and accused her of putting party control of the Senate at risk. Vietor said Stevens had demanded that El-Sayed condemn an ad he was not involved in, while now supporting Rogers, whom Vietor said had called El-Sayed a terrorist.
El-Sayed addressed the ad controversy at a campaign event Saturday, saying it was not made by his campaign and that he disagreed with its contents.
The Republican National Committee welcomed Stevens’ endorsement. RNC spokesman Hunter Lovell said her support should draw voters’ attention to Rogers and argued that he could attract Democrats, independents and Republicans. Lovell also characterized El-Sayed’s agenda as radical and said he was out of step with Michigan voters.
Journalist Sam Robinson asked Stevens on Sunday how she could support a candidate whose positions differed so sharply from her own. “Nothing is perfect,” she replied. A heckler then interrupted, calling Stevens a traitor, and the exchange ended.
Stevens’ fiancé, Jason Turkish, and former campaign chairman David Kramer had already decided to vote for Rogers. El-Sayed’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
