Michigan Senate race: El-Sayed campaign asks Haley Stevens to stay away from final events after clash over Israel

Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed’s campaign has asked Representative Haley Stevens not to attend its events in the final days before Tuesday’s election, after the two former primary rivals exchanged statements over Israel, NBC News and CBS News reported.

A campaign advisory sent on Saturday 31 October for a Sunday event at a Black church in Detroit listed only El-Sayed and Representative Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, not Stevens, NBC News reported. A person familiar with the decision said the campaign was concerned about distractions.

On Friday Stevens said she expected El-Sayed to condemn an ad by the outside group Rebellion PAC, which she called antisemitic, and to apologise for some of his own statements. “Abdul promises to get money out of politics. He can begin by getting Israel out of his explanation for everything Michigan cannot afford,” she said. El-Sayed’s campaign has said it is not affiliated with the group and distanced itself from the ad.

El-Sayed replied that Stevens “seems intent on relitigating a primary that ended three months ago” and said his campaign was focused on affordability and healthcare.

Stevens told The New York Times she still planned to vote for El-Sayed, NBC News reported. State Senator Mallory McMorrow said Michigan “could very well be the state that flips control of the Senate,” according to The Washington Post.

El-Sayed faces Republican Mike Rogers in a race the Cook Political Report rates as a toss-up.