Amid the fierce competition for the Democratic seat in the US Senate elections for the state of Michigan, Dr. Abdullah El-Sayed , the progressive candidate and opponent of Representative Haley Stevens in the primaries, called on his supporters to avoid ridiculing his rival, and to focus instead on her political positions and the sources of funding for her campaign.
Abdullah Al-Sayed’s remarks came after a video of Stevens went viral in recent days, in which she addressed her supporters in a tone described by media outlets and social media users as exaggerated, and as trying to give herself a “popular” and “working-class” character.
“I will continue to work on your behalf, and I will tell your stories, with much joy, enthusiasm, energy, and a spirit of defiance… because that’s the Michigan way,” Stevens said in the video.
The clip sparked a wave of sarcastic comments on the “X” platform, with some users comparing her style to famous American comedy personalities, while others considered her performance to be artificial, according to the “Common Dreams” platform.
However, Abdullah Elsayed, the former director of public health for the city of Detroit and one of the state’s most prominent progressive voices, refused to join the campaign of ridicule, asserting in a social media post that criticizing Stevens “for matters unrelated to her policies or positions is unhelpful and inappropriate.”
Abdullah Al-Sayed urged his supporters to “focus on the issues” during the final weeks leading up to the primary elections scheduled for August 4, noting that the real dispute concerns his opponent’s policies and her relationships with lobbying groups and major corporations.
These developments come after Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow withdrew from the race earlier this month, which opened the door to a significant increase in outside spending supporting Stevens.
According to US media reports, total outside spending in support of Stevens or against Abdullah Elsayed has exceeded $50 million, while the United Democracy Project (UDP), which is linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), reported that it has spent about $15 million on the race so far, including $9.3 million in support of Stevens, and $5.7 million to attack Abdullah Elsayed.
Abdullah El-Sayed adopts a progressive political program that includes supporting a “healthcare for all” system, imposing higher taxes on the wealthy, and ending US military aid to Israel.
Abdullah Al-Sayed said that Stevens “welcomed the support of corporations and special interests,” adding that she “votes to send money abroad while the people of Michigan suffer.”
He added that “major energy, insurance, technology and pharmaceutical companies, along with AIPAC, Trump-linked billionaires and political action committees, are spending more than $50 million to support it,” stressing that “these are the real issues that should be talked about.”
The Democratic candidate concluded his remarks by saying, “We don’t need to be cruel to be honest.”
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