El-Sayed, Stevens Campaign Together Sunday

Abdul El-Sayed and Haley Stevens will campaign together in Detroit on Sunday, their first joint appearance since a unity breakfast held two days after the August 4 primary. The two former rivals plan to join South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn at a get-out-the-vote event at a local church. Two people familiar with the plans described the gathering as an effort to project party unity ahead of the election.

The appearance follows a week of public friction between the two Democrats. On Wednesday, Stevens’ fiancé Jason Turkish told The Detroit News he would vote for Republican Mike Rogers. Stevens later appeared on CNN to say she is voting for El-Sayed. She urged his campaign to reach out to voters in her coalition and “make them feel comfortable about coming to the polls.”

El-Sayed responded to questions about the upcoming event on Thursday night. He said the party is “always trying to unify” and that busy schedules prevented an earlier joint appearance. He dismissed internal party dynamics as a minor concern compared to the high cost of living.

Divisions from the primary have persisted despite Stevens’ pledge to support El-Sayed. Nearly $60 million was spent on advertising attacking El-Sayed during the primary cycle. That total includes $30 million from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Stevens represents a district with a large Jewish community and has long supported Israel, a stance that contrasts with El-Sayed’s more critical remarks on the issue.

Recent ads have intensified these tensions. A Rebellion PAC advertisement linked U.S. support for Israel to high grocery prices. El-Sayed said the ad had “nothing to do with our campaign.” Stevens and other Democrats urged him to more strongly denounce the content. Rabbi Aaron Starr of Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield told reporters that the political temperature has “turned way up” in the final week.

Both campaigns are targeting Black voters in Wayne County, where Stevens defeated El-Sayed in the primary. Rogers has also pushed for support in the group. His wife handed out $10 gift cards at a gas station earlier this month. Ruby Farmer, a Detroit retiree, criticized the gesture. She cast her ballot for El-Sayed three weeks ago, citing Medicaid cuts that affect her special-needs son.

Early voting in Michigan began on Oct. 24. The Sunday event is scheduled for two days before the general election. El-Sayed has held recent events in heavily Republican areas, including the Upper Peninsula. Rogers appeared with Sen. Ted Cruz at a Republican Jewish Coalition event in Birmingham on Wednesday.