Fiancé of Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens backs Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan Senate race

The fiancé of Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens said Oct. 28 that he plans to vote for Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan’s U.S. Senate race, citing concerns about Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed’s rhetoric and its impact on Jewish safety.

Jason Turkish, a Jewish Democratic donor and civil rights attorney, told The Detroit News he has become convinced that El-Sayed is an antisemite whose rhetoric endangers Jewish communities. 

“I’ve just seen an escalation in his rhetoric since the primary, and it makes folks unsafe. Every time he talks about genocide (in Gaza), Jews get death threats,” Turkish said, according to the outlet. “We have never seen a candidate for U.S. Senate act so recklessly toward the safety of Jews in the community as we have seen from Abdul.” 

Turkish has also criticized El-Sayed’s refusal during a debate to say whether Iran or Israel poses a greater threat to the U.S. and his association with left-wing political streamer Hasan Piker, who said in 2019 America “deserved 9/11.” 

Turkish also faulted El-Sayed’s response to an advertisement by the outside group Rebellion PAC that Turkish and other critics say scapegoats Israel and Jews for Americans’ cost-of-living concerns. The ad links U.S. support for Israel to high grocery prices. El-Sayed has distanced himself from the commercial, but Turkish told the newspaper that the candidate should explicitly disavow its message and ask for its removal.

>> Free Press op-ed: Why Democrats should reject Abdul El-Sayed <<

Stevens, who narrowly lost the Aug. 4 Democratic primary to El-Sayed, reaffirmed her support for the Democratic nominee on CNN Oct. 28 even as she acknowledged the personal divide. 

“Like a lot of households across America, we’re a household divided,” Stevens told host Kaitlan Collins. “I still very much want our Democratic nominee, his name is Abdul, to win this race. There’s so much on the line.” 

Stevens added that many voters she has encountered while campaigning are still undecided and urged El-Sayed to “denounce the hateful ads that have hurt people,” saying he was in a “very strong position” to do so.

Speaking to reporters at an Oct. 28 Republican Jewish Coalition event for Rogers in Birmingham, Michigan, Turkish said he continues to support other Democratic candidates.

“You can support Democrats up and down the ballot and make a choice to choose country over party in one race,” he said.

El-Sayed’s campaign responded by emphasizing its efforts to unite voters ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

“Abdul is focused on building a broad coalition to win Michigan and win back the Senate majority for Democrats,” spokeswoman Roxie Richner said in a statement cited by The Detroit News. “Our tent is big enough for all those who wish to join it.”

Turkish’s announcement followed a similar decision by David Kramer, who chaired Stevens’ Senate campaign. In an Oct. 27 report, Jewish Insider revealed that Kramer also intends to vote for Rogers. 

Kramer told the outlet he remains a Democrat and disagrees with Rogers on numerous policies, but said concerns about El-Sayed’s rhetoric persuaded him to vote for the Republican rather than leave the Senate race blank.

El-Sayed has also drawn criticism for comparing questions about his views on the Muslim Brotherhood to the anti-Catholic prejudice John F. Kennedy faced during his presidential campaign, with some Catholic commentators arguing that the comparison sidesteps legitimate scrutiny.

>> National Review op-ed: El-Sayed’s JFK comparison reflects ‘obvious anti-Catholicism’ <<