Michigan Senate primary: Stevens vs. El‑Sayed debate Israel, AIPAC

U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens and former Wayne County health director Abdul El‑Sayed faced off in a televised one‑on‑one debate in Grand Rapids as the August 4 Democratic primary for Michigan’s open Senate seat intensified. The candidates sparred over U.S. policy toward Israel, with Stevens defending a two‑state solution and El‑Sayed condemning Israel as a “rogue state” and accusing both parties of being driven by the pro‑Israel lobby AIPAC. El‑Sayed argued that AIPAC‑linked spending, amounting to tens of millions of dollars, fuels U.S. involvement in wars and inflates the national debt, while Stevens said her campaign’s outside funding was necessary to win the general election against Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers.

The debate also revived controversy over El‑Sayed’s past stance on policing. An audio clip from 2020 showed him advocating for “defunding the police” and reallocating funds to schools, health services, and anti‑poverty programs—contrasting with his later claims that he never called for cuts. Polls show El‑Sayed leading Stevens by about 20 points, but the race is viewed as pivotal for Democrats, who need to retain the seat to help secure a Senate majority in the 2026 midterms.

Both candidates highlighted broader policy issues, including AI regulation and the national debt, but the Israel‑AIPAC fight dominated the discourse, underlining the growing influence of foreign‑policy positions in domestic primary contests.