Dingell Says Stevens Endorsement Is Fueling Backlash Against El-Sayed
Michigan Democrats report a surge in fundraising and voter anger following the switch by former primary rival Haley Stevens.
By Sakura Novak ·
Rep. Debbie Dingell says the switch by Rep. Haley Stevens to the Republican side of the Michigan Senate race is creating a stronger push for the Democratic nominee.
Abdul El-Sayed’s campaign collected more than $2.4 million on Sunday. That fundraising spike occurred on the same day Stevens, a former primary rival, announced her support for GOP candidate Mike Rogers.
Dingell spoke on The Takeout with Major Garrett on Monday to describe the reaction among voters. She noted that Black pastors contacted her to express frustration with the move.
“Who said she represented us?” Dingell quoted one pastor as saying. “There’s a lot of anger in how she did what she did yesterday,” she added.
Tensions between the two women escalated earlier in the week. Stevens demanded on Friday that El-Sayed apologize for past remarks regarding U.S. aid to Israel. She also asked him to condemn an advertisement from an outside political action committee that she described as antisemitic. El-Sayed’s team stated last week that the campaign was not affiliated with the ad in any way.
Stevens originally planned to attend a Sunday unity event with El-Sayed. She skipped the appearance after El-Sayed said she seemed intent on relitigating a primary that ended three months ago. Instead, she appeared at a church with Rogers on Sunday morning before offering her endorsement.
Dingell told NPR that she encouraged Stevens to skip the event because it had become a distraction. She told CBS News on Monday that she is tired of the drama and worried about her colleague. When asked about potential repercussions within the House Democratic Caucus, Dingell advised members to avoid adding more attention to the situation. “We need to focus on winning tomorrow, and that’s where our focus needs to be,” she said.
