Democratic Senate candidate in Michigan accuses anti-Israel rival of scapegoating Jews

US Representative Haley Stevens, a moderate Democratic Senate candidate from Michigan, on Friday accused her primary rival Abdul El-Sayed of blaming all of his problems on Jewish Americans after he again took aim at the pro-Israel AIPAC lobby.

In a social media clip that went viral, El-Sayed is heard urging AIPAC to "come for me."

"You picked [Stevens] the least capable candidate in America… If you think you can beat money out of politics, money in your pocket, medicare for all, come. I'll tell you what people don't want: they don't want money in a foreign government," he said, referring to AIPAC, which has spent heavily in the campaign against him.

Responding to those remarks, Stevens suggested El-Sayed will be a less viable candidate in the general election versus a Republican, before telling him that "everyone in America understands you want to blame all of your problems on Jewish Americans."

"Let me be very clear, I will lower the costs of groceries, ban stock trading for elected officials, stop Trump's abuses of power, and protect Michigan manufacturing," Stevens, who is not Jewish, wrote on X. "And you'll just be a celebrity whining and writing books to get even richer. You're part of the complainer class, looking for their next book or podcast deal."

The criticism from Stevens came days before the August 4 primary vote, which AIPAC has spent record levels on in an effort to defeat the anti-Israel El-Sayed, who has made opposition the pro-Israel group the key issue in the race.

Abdul, we were both on the ballot in 2018. I was capable of winning my competitive primary and general election. You lost.

You lost by over twenty points to Gretchen Whitmer and you will lose to Mike Rogers by talking like this.

Everyone in America understands you want to blame all of your problems on Jewish Americans.

El-Sayed's rhetoric against AIPAC and Israel has alarmed many Jewish Democrats in Michigan, some of whom are now reconsidering their loyalty to the party if he's victorious in the primary week, which they believe would portend an existential threat to the national Jewish community. If El-Sayed wins in a swing state, some fear more candidates with similar views will follow, and lead to an unsafe environment for Jews in Michigan and beyond.

The nationwide importance of the race and the Jewish vote was underscored when New York State Republicans recently made an explicit appeal for Jewish Democrats, stating in a digital ad campaign that Jews were leaving the party "in droves" "from Maine to Michigan." Before he dropped out as the Democratic Senate nominee in Maine over sexual assault allegations he has denied, Graham Platner put anti-Israel criticism near the center of his platform, and opposition to the Jewish state has also helped fuel the primary wins of left-wing candidates in New York, Colorado and elsewhere.