Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed’s former opponent in the U.S. Senate primary, Haley Stevens, stunned party officials Sunday by endorsing Republican Mike Rogers after Democratic tensions boiled over days before the election that could determine the balance of power on Capitol Hill.
uncertain
that → stun → Hill
Stevens endorsed Rogers after attending a Detroit church service with him.
asserted
Stevens → endorse → him
The remarkable show of support for President Donald Trump's backed candidate in the tightly contested race comes after she was uninvited to a joint event the same day with El-Sayed, who defeated the congresswoman by a slim margin in the August primary.
asserted
who → back → primary
“Our Democratic nominee for Senate said I was no longer welcome in his campaign and that I should stay away," Stevens said in a video announcing the endorsement.
asserted
Stevens → say → endorsement
And that's why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today.”
asserted
I → endorse → Senate
While Stevens has been critical of El-Sayed’s comments surrounding Israel, she had recently reaffirmed she would vote for the former public health official who would be the country’s first Muslim senator if elected Tuesday.
asserted
who → surround → official
The fallout from her visit to Perfecting Church was swift, with her longtime chief of staff resigning and a number of staff members expected to follow soon, according to a person familiar with the developments who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters.
uncertain
who → resign → matters
As Stevens swayed alongside Rogers in the pews, El-Sayed was a few miles away at another church trying to present a united front with fellow Democrats.
asserted
Sayed → sway → Democrats
The Associated Press attended both services as the dramatic split-screen unfolded.
asserted
screen → attend → services
The latest and late-stage infighting comes as Democrats look to drive turnout among Black and Jewish voters in key strongholds.
asserted
Democrats → come → strongholds
El-Sayed, a former Michigan public health official, is in a tight race with Rogers, an ex-congressman, for the seat held by Democrat Gary Peters, who is retiring.
asserted
who → hold → Peters
Keeping Michigan in Democratic hands is vital to the party’s effort to win a majority for the final two years of Trump’s second term.
asserted
Keeping → keep → term
“United we stand, divided we fall,” Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., had said hours earlier.
asserted
Dingell → stand → ?
Stevens defects as Democrats preach unity
Stevens was initially set to join the nominee and U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina at a church event.
asserted
Stevens → defect → event
Those plans unraveled after a dispute over Israel and an outside group’s campaign advertisement escalated into a public exchange of criticism between the rivals.
asserted
dispute → unravel → rivals
At the church north of Detroit, Stevens and fiance Jason Turkish worshipped with Rogers and his wife, Kristi.
asserted
Stevens → worship → Rogers
Turkish said last week that he was going to vote for Rogers, arguing that El-Sayed had not done enough to address the Jewish community's concerns.
asserted
Sayed → say → concerns
The appearance stunned Democrats across the political spectrum, coming just days after Stevens publicly reaffirmed that she would vote for El-Sayed.
asserted
she → stun → Sayed
Meanwhile, El-Sayed attended a separate church service alongside Dingell, South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, Maryland Sen. Angela Alsobrooks and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, who dropped out of the Democratic Senate primary before voting began.
asserted
voting → attend → primary
El-Sayed spoke for nearly 10 minutes at the service, but did not address the latest controversy.
“It’s in churches like this, in pews like the ones in which you sit, that the foundation of my life was built,” El-Sayed said.
asserted
Sayed → speak → life
Dingell, a senior Democratic figure in the state who helped organize the planned joint appearance in hopes of bringing together Democrats in the final days before Tuesday's vote, said she asked Stevens not to attend and that Stevens told her she would abide by that.
asserted
she → organize → that
“I'm the one who pulled it because it had become way too distracting," Dingell said a telephone interview Sunday before Stevens' appearance.
asserted
Dingell → pull → appearance
“This is not how I was going to spend my weekend before the election, to be perfectly frank.”
asserted
I → go → election
"The bishop was getting upset, because this is a real church service,” Dingell added.
asserted
Dingell → get → ?
The latest and late-stage infighting comes as Democrats look to drive turnout among Black and Jewish voters in key strongholds.
asserted
Democrats → come → strongholds
El-Sayed, a former Michigan public health official, is in a tight race with Republican Mike Rogers, an ex-congressman, for the seat held by Democrat Gary Peters, who is retiring.
asserted
who → hold → Peters
Keeping Michigan in Democratic hands is vital to the party's effort to win a majority for the final two years of Trump's second term.
asserted
Keeping → keep → term
Dingell and other Democrats insist the party is united behind El-Sayed.
asserted
party → insist → Sayed
Early voting has been underway since Oct. 24, before the latest tensions erupted.
asserted
tensions → erupt → Oct.
But the renewed bickering has complicated Democrats’ efforts to deliver a unified closing message in crucial areas such as Detroit, where turnout could prove decisive.
uncertain
turnout → renew → Detroit
“Whenever anyone tries to set us against each other, we have an obligation to stand up and fight back,” Stevens wrote in a statement late Friday that ended with: “Go vote!”
asserted
that → try → statement
The tensions carry particular significance in Wayne County, which includes Detroit, and neighboring Oakland County.
asserted
which → carry → Detroit
Stevens defeated El-Sayed in both counties in the August primary, drawing support from Black and Jewish voters who are important parts of the Democratic coalition.
asserted
who → defeat → coalition
How did we get here?
asserted
we → get → ?
Each candidate accused the other of making personal attacks.
asserted
candidate → accuse → attacks
Tens of millions of dollars in outside spending poured into the race, including from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s affiliated super PAC, which backed Stevens.
asserted
which → pour → Stevens
El-Sayed took particular offense to an outside group’s ad accusing him of disrespecting women.
asserted
Sayed → take → women
Although Stevens pledged after the primary to help El-Sayed however she could, the two have not appeared together publicly since a unity breakfast two days after his summer win.
uncertain
two → pledge → win
Their lack of joint appearances was particularly notable as some Jewish voters and leaders continued to criticize El-Sayed over his comments about Israel, past rhetoric and campaign appearances with controversial streamer Hasan Piker.
asserted
voters → continue → Piker
The divisions spilled into public view again Wednesday when Stevens’ fiancé told The Detroit News that he would vote for Rogers.
asserted
he → spill → Rogers
…and 11 more, not listed.
The Aporia
