El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee in Michigan’s competitive Senate race, has requested that Congresswoman Haley Stevens avoid his campaign events.
“I’m not looking for distractions,” El-Sayed told reporters post-rally, per the New York Times. “It appears some are eager to turn this race into something it isn’t.”
The pair had been scheduled to share Sunday’s pulpit at a Detroit church service.
The split highlights deeper Democratic rifts in a pivotal race central to the party’s bid to reclaim Senate control. El-Sayed, a progressive, bested Stevens, a moderate, in a hard-fought primary.
Stevens voiced her support following August’s primary victory and had been set to campaign alongside him this weekend.
Until now, Stevens had sidestepped public appearances with her former rival, who has faced public criticism in recent weeks. Her fiancé, Jason Turkish, has instead campaigned for Republican contender Mike Rogers.
Just days before the joint appearance, Stevens pressed El-Sayed to repudiate an outside group’s ad linking higher costs to U.S. support for Israel’s Gaza campaign.
“Stevens appears bent on re-litigating a primary settled three months ago,” El-Sayed stated, noting that AIPAC poured resources into defeating him.
“The priority remains defeating Rogers, holding Trump accountable, removing dark money from politics, and delivering Medicare for All,” the campaign affirmed.
The public discord alarms fellow Democrats, who view the closely contested race as essential for the party’s Senate takeover ambitions.
Michigan Senator Mallory McMorrow dismissed the spat on CNN Friday, questioning, “I haven’t a clue what Stevens is playing at. Voters care about gas and grocery costs, not campaign infighting.”
