Michigan Senate primary: AIPAC money vs. Abdul El-Sayed

Jul 31, 2026

Abdul El-Sayed leads Haley Stevens by a wide margin in Michigan's Democratic Senate primary, and her camp is now calling him anti-semitic — a fight over pro-Israel money in US elections.

  • El-Sayed is up by about 15 points despite being massively outspent by pro-Israel groups.
  • Stevens accused him of blaming his problems on Jewish Americans after he criticized AIPAC's spending against him — a charge that doesn't match what he actually said.
  • Pro-Israel PACs have poured tens of millions into backing Stevens, with total spending against El-Sayed cited as high as $60 million.
  • The claim: calling out AIPAC money gets you branded anti-semitic, a tactic used to sink candidates like Nina Turner and Marie Newman.
  • El-Sayed is also openly attacking Chuck Schumer and party leadership, betting Democratic voters reward that.

Outlook: The primary is Tuesday; if El-Sayed wins despite the spending gap, it's seen as a sign pro-Israel money is losing its grip on Democratic races.

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