El-Sayed and Stevens to campaign together in Detroit as Democrats seek unity

Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed will campaign Sunday in Detroit alongside former primary rival Rep. Haley Stevens, their first public appearance together in months, according to two people familiar with the plans who were not authorized to discuss them publicly ¹².

South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, one of the country's most prominent Black politicians, will join them at a get-out-the-vote event at a Detroit church, the people said. The event was first reported by The Associated Press ¹².

The joint appearance — their first since a Democratic unity breakfast days after the Aug. 4 primary — follows weeks of Democrats struggling to unite behind El-Sayed after his razor-thin victory over Stevens. She received significant support from the Jewish and Black communities, leading to concerns about turnout in the general election ¹².

Tensions spilled into public view Wednesday when Stevens' fiancé, Jason Turkish, told The Detroit News that he would vote for Republican Mike Rogers ¹².

From Channel GOPEl-Sayed does the math on billionaire wealthAbdul El-Sayed · 173 plays · captioned, with the source named

Hours later, Stevens appeared on CNN to reaffirm that she would be voting for El-Sayed, but urged his campaign to "shut out the hate and call it out." She said El-Sayed needs to reach out to people who were part of her coalition and "make them feel comfortable about coming to the polls" ¹².

Asked Thursday evening about the upcoming event with Stevens, El-Sayed said "we're always trying to unify the party" and it hadn't happened sooner because of their busy schedules. El-Sayed then criticized the reporter for the question, saying "nobody cares" about internal party dynamics when the cost of living is so high ¹².

El-Sayed and Stevens last appeared together on Aug. 6, two days after the primary. Stevens pledged to support El-Sayed, telling CBS News she would do "whatever he wants me to do" on the campaign trail ¹².

The church visit on Sunday is intended to further that elusive unity, although its impact is uncertain, given that it comes just two days before the election. Michigan early voting started Oct. 24 ¹².

We've got a Black and Jewish coalition that came out and voted for me in droves. And I want them to come out and vote for Democrats

El-Sayed's criticism of Israel, past remarks and his association with controversial streamer Hasan Piker have long drawn concern from some in Michigan's large Jewish community. Turkish and others have said El-Sayed hasn't done enough to address concerns ahead of the general election ¹².

The latest controversy centered on an ad by Rebellion PAC, an independent left-wing group, that linked U.S. support for Israel to high grocery prices. "That has nothing to do with our campaign," El-Sayed said of the ad. "It's certainly not what I want to be talking about right now" ¹².

Republicans face political challenges of their own, particularly voter dissatisfaction with Trump, the Iran war and high costs. Rogers has remained closely aligned with the president on most issues, appearing alongside him at a Michigan rally Sunday where he credited Trump with bringing manufacturing jobs back to the state ¹².

The rally took place in Port Huron, just across the river from Canada, a country with deep economic ties to Michigan that Trump has targeted with tariffs ¹².

El-Sayed has held campaign events in heavily Republican areas, including Michigan's Upper Peninsula. His team also released an ad featuring clips of prominent conservative figures praising him, including former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who has faced accusations of antisemitism that he denies ¹².

Rabbi Aaron Starr of Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield criticized both the Rebellion PAC ad and El-Sayed's campaign ad during a call with reporters ¹².

Rogers, meanwhile, appeared Wednesday with Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas at an event hosted by the Republican Jewish Coalition in Birmingham, Michigan. Cruz called antisemitism "a poison that is ripping the country apart" and accused Democrats of being taken over by "self-proclaimed communists and Islamists" ¹².

Trump has repeatedly attacked El-Sayed's Muslim faith, calling him a "jihadist" and saying Sunday that he was "on the side of terrorists" ¹².

Both candidates are trying to win over Black voters, particularly in Detroit's Wayne County, where Stevens defeated El-Sayed in the Democratic primary ¹².

El-Sayed's event with Stevens and Clyburn is part of an effort to shore up support among Black voters. Much of El-Sayed's final campaign stretch has included appearances in Detroit ¹².

Rogers has also sought to make inroads with Black voters. He visited a reading remediation program at a Detroit high school and discussed housing costs with residents in Pontiac, north of the city. Earlier this month, his wife handed out $10 gift cards at a gas station ¹².

The gesture drew criticism from Ruby Farmer, a 68-year-old Detroit retiree. "You're giving out gas cards in the inner city; you never would come for any other reason," Farmer said ².

While Farmer has a bit of difficulty pronouncing El-Sayed's name, she cast her ballot for him three weeks ago anyway. El-Sayed has come out in opposition to policies by Trump — policies Farmer says directly impact her family ².

"I have a special-needs son," said Farmer. "He depends on Medicaid. Medicaid has been cut, and for home care workers in Michigan, all the benefits are on hold" ².

The Record

1. Aug 4, 2026Michigan holds its Democratic Senate primary, which El-Sayed wins narrowly over Stevens ¹².
2. Aug 6, 2026El-Sayed and Stevens appear together, two days after the primary ¹².
3. Oct 24, 2026Early voting begins in Michigan ¹².
4. Oct 28, 2026Stevens' fiancé tells The Detroit News he will vote for Republican Mike Rogers; hours later Stevens reaffirms her support for El-Sayed on CNN ¹².

Sources

1. ABC News, “El-Sayed and Stevens to make rare joint appearance as Democrats seek unity in Michigan Senate race” (2026-10-30). abcnews.com/Politics/wireStory/el-sayed-stevens-make-rare-jo
2. WTOP News, “El-Sayed and Stevens to make rare joint appearance as Democrats seek unity in Michigan Senate race – WTOP News” (2026-10-30). wtop.com/us-politics/2026/10/democratic-divisions-linger-in-

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