Michigan Democrats are clashing over Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed decision to feature conservative commentator Tucker Carlson in a campaign ad, with prominent party figures demanding that he pull the spot days before Election Day.
The ad, released last week, features Carlson saying he “wouldn’t vote for Mike Rogers at gunpoint,” referring to El-Sayed’s Republican opponent. The spot also includes clips of Fox News personalities praising El-Sayed, part of the Democrat’s effort to appeal to voters who might otherwise support President Donald Trump.
Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI), whom El-Sayed narrowly defeated in the August Democratic primary, said Friday that she hopes the nominee will take down the advertisement, calling its use of Carlson an insult to the black congregation where the two Democrats are scheduled to appear Sunday alongside Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC).
Former Obama administration official Van Jones also condemned El-Sayed’s use of Carlson.
“No Democrat should ever celebrate the words of a white nationalist who actively undermines the safety of black people and Jewish people,” Jones posted on social media. Jones also condemned Republican attacks on El-Sayed’s Muslim faith.
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The backlash comes as El-Sayed faces demands from fellow Democrats to condemn a separate ad from Rebellion PAC that blamed U.S. support for Israel for the high cost of groceries and other expenses. The spot features a couple at a grocery store deciding which items to put back, suggesting that funding wars on Israel’s behalf has left Americans unable to afford food.
Cenk Uygur, founder of The Young Turks and uncle of El-Sayed surrogate Hasan Piker, produced the ad and accused Rogers of being “bought” by Israel. Stevens condemned the spot as “fearmongering,” saying Democrats should not blame high prices on “the only Jewish homeland in the world.”
Stevens said Friday that Democratic leaders had told her El-Sayed was now formally condemning that spot, and she urged voters and reporters to ask El-Sayed directly.
“A disclaimer is not a condemnation, and everyone in my community knows the difference,” Stevens said, referring to El-Sayed’s earlier response that his campaign was not affiliated with the Rebellion PAC ad.
Stevens said the same standard should apply to El-Sayed’s own rhetoric about Israel, arguing that the outside group’s advertisement echoed claims the candidate had made throughout the campaign. She called on him to apologize for those statements and remove the Carlson advertisement.
“I say this with no race to run and nothing to gain,” Stevens said. “The Jewish and African American communities of my district deserve to see their leaders show up for them rather than fight over them.”
Jones also criticized the Rebellion PAC ad. The campaign said the spot was “not affiliated in any way” with El-Sayed’s operation.
The candidate told reporters that the Rebellion PAC ad was not what he wanted to be discussing in the final stretch of the campaign.
Carlson’s criticism of Rogers came during a September podcast in which he attacked the Republican’s support for Israel and described El-Sayed’s campaign as “literally Trumpian.”
El-Sayed welcomed the remarks when asked about them on CNN in September, saying he and Carlson did not agree on much but did agree with what Carlson had said about Rogers. He characterized Carlson’s comments as more of an attack on the Republican than an endorsement of himself, and said he had never spoken with the commentator or sought his support.
Stevens has said she intends to vote for El-Sayed, but has urged him to address concerns among Jewish and black voters who supported her campaign. Her fiancé, lifelong Democrat Jason Turkish, said Wednesday that he would vote for Rogers, citing concerns about El-Sayed’s rhetoric toward Jews and Israel.
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