Michigan Democratic representative Haley Stevens publicly supported the Republican candidate for senator for the mid-term elections in this northern US state on Sunday, after tensions with her own party, Abdul El-Sayed.
In a video posted on the social network
The elected member of the House of Representatives and Abdul El-Sayed, who narrowly beat her in the Democratic primary for the Senate, have been at odds for several days over American policy regarding Israel. On Saturday, the progressive candidate with pro-Palestinian positions declared that he did not want the presence of the moderate elected official at a campaign event the next day, saying that he did not “want any distraction.”
El-Sayed ahead in the polls
In her video posted on Sunday, Haley Stevens claims “to have no place in Abdul’s campaign” and criticizes the candidate for promoting “hate” speech. Asked about this defection, Abdul El-Sayed, who could become the first Muslim senator in the United States, said he was not “thinking about Haley Stevens,” adding that he was “less interested in political politics than in public policies.”
“Wow, this is HUGE!” reacted Donald Trump on his Truth Social network. “Haley said what few people dare to say,” he continued, praising the representative’s “loyalty” and “courage,” and noting her influence with Jewish and African-American voters.
Polls give Abdul El-Sayed a slight lead over Mr. Rogers. Retaining this seat is crucial for the Democratic Party in order to obtain a majority in the Senate for the last two years of Donald Trump’s second term. The votes of Michigan’s traditionally Democratic African-American and Jewish communities could prove key.
