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