Abdul El-Sayed Raises $1.2 Million After Haley Stevens Endorsed Opponent

Conlan Houston, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Democratic Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed’s campaign raised $1.2 million within hours of Democratic Michigan Rep. Haley Stevens endorsing his opponent.

Stevens endorsed former Republican Michigan Rep. Mike Rogers Sunday after she had a falling out with El-Sayed over his criticisms of Israel. El-Sayed raised the $1.2 million within four hours after Stevens’ endorsement, Politico first reported.

Stevens demanded that El-Sayed publicly disavow an ad created by the left-wing Rebellion PAC, which partially blamed Israel aid for higher prices. She said the ad claimed, “Jews are responsible for America’s economic woes.”

The congresswoman also demanded that El-Sayed take down an ad from his campaign featuring Tucker Carlson. El-Sayed said Saturday that he did not want Stevens to join him at a campaign event held two days before the election, saying he wanted “no distractions.”

Stevens’ fiancé, who is Jewish, said he would back Rogers in the election, according to The Hill.

Democrats raged against Stevens over her endorsement of Rogers. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called her endorsement a “despicable betrayal.”

“This is a despicable betrayal from Rep. Stevens,” Schumer said. “Senate Democrats are united in our support for Abdul El-Sayed, because we know he will fight for the economic interests of working families in Michigan, unlike Mike Rogers, who is a tool of Donald Trump and billionaire donors.”

Some House Democrats pushed to expel Stevens from their caucus, including Democratic Reps. Lateefah Simon of California and Marc Veasey of Texas, according to Axios.

“I hope she doesn’t return to work on Tuesday,” Simon said.

Rogers celebrated Stevens’ endorsement, arguing that she showed courage by putting “Michigan First.”

“Congresswoman Stevens showed courage and bravery in putting Michigan first,” Rogers said on X. “She spent her career in Congress delivering for Michiganders, and her decision to support our campaign is no different. We agree on our love of Country, supporting minority businesses, investing in Michigan’s future, fixing Michigan’s crippling education system, and putting Michiganders first … I’m grateful for her support, and I look forward to continuing our partnership when I am in the U.S. Senate.”

Stevens lost to El-Sayed in the Democratic primary in August by one point. Establishment Democrats like Stevens lost many of their primary races to further-left candidates, who received endorsements from independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other non-establishment Democrats.

The Democratic National Committee and El-Sayed sent a joint campaign fundraising email Sunday titled, “Who this election is actually about,” according to Politico.

“Some people would love for the last days of this race to be about politicians,” the email stated. “I will not be distracted.”

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) spent $30.6 million during the Democratic primary to help Stevens. AIPAC’s super PAC, The United Democratic Project, spent $20 million opposing El-Sayed and $10 million supporting Stevens, according to Federal Elections Commission (FEC) filings.

AIPAC wanted to help Rogers during the general election, although he told them in August not to spend money to help his campaign, Axios first reported. He later said he welcomed anyone’s support, including AIPAC’s, during the Oct. 9 Senate debate.

AIPAC reportedly planned to channel up to $9 million to a pro-Rogers super PAC, the Great Lakes Conservative Fund, in late October, anonymous sources told The New York Times. The spending was deliberately timed for after the Oct. 14 deadline so it would not appear on FEC filings before Election Day.

Current FEC filings do not show any contribution from AIPAC or UDP going to Rogers’ super PAC. UDP spent $95,000 on mailers to oppose El-Sayed on Oct. 9.

El-Sayed led by an average of 5.2 points against Rogers as of Monday, one day before Election Day, according to RealClearPolling.