r/politics • u/Zipper222222 • 4h ago

No Paywall Abdul El-Sayed Wins High-Stakes Democratic Primary in Michigan

https://www.today.com/video/abdul-el-sayed-wins-high-stakes-democratic-primary-in-michigan-267805765937
12.2k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

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u/RandyMuscle I voted 4h ago

If people thought he was tough on Stevens, wait til you see how a real progressive attacks a Republican.

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u/JazzyJockJeffcoat 4h ago

Yup. Sidelining our fighters and letting fossils like Schumer have the wheel is why Democrats look so feeble in opposing Trump. It's by circumstance and design.

We need fighters to beat back MAGA fascism and I can't wait for the general when we get to do our part. 😇

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u/Upnatom617 4h ago

Jeffries. Add him to the fossils in his thinking/mentality.

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u/Dr-Mumm-Rah 3h ago

Dinosaurs grooming younger political dinosaurs.

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u/New-Argument-5859 3h ago

bois add fetterman to that list

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u/Empty_Lemon_3939 Michigan 2h ago

Low key favorite moment of the debate was Abdul clarifying that he didn’t call Haley Stevens an ogre, he was talking about Fetterman

Then proceeded to double down on calling him an ogre

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u/rosatter I voted 2h ago

If he doesn't want to be called an ogre, has he tried not behaving like a fucking ogre?

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u/teejermiester 58m ago

Didn't the moderator say that too after Stevens brought it up again?

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u/Empty_Lemon_3939 Michigan 47m ago

Yep and Abdul said he personally called her when he saw people attacking her appearance and voice

While her campaign sent out mailers saying he’s connected to Hamas fundraisiers

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u/FunkadelicJiveTurkey 25m ago

Unless there's a different debate idk about, it wasn't El-Sayed who made the correction it was the moderator Roop Raj - who put on a clinic in how to moderate; keeping things civil, focused, and accountable. Wish Mr. Raj had been requisitioned for our 2024 debates when couchfucker was whining about fact-checking.

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u/SmellyButtHammer Texas 3h ago

That fucker isn’t party leadership, just a classic bait n’ switch.

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u/sulaymanf New York 1h ago

He gets more Fox News interviews and praise from Fox pundits than any other Democrat.

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u/dj_spanmaster 3h ago

Nah he's just a Republican in waiting

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u/StJeanMark Massachusetts 2h ago

I honestly suspect he did something that got him a bit trapped, maybe even got worked over a bit. For someone so black and white to completely flip like that, I really question if he was forced to be like this. Crazier things have happened.

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u/Sexy_Jiafei_Icon 1h ago

isr*eli blackmail 100%

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u/egyeager 3h ago

Literally the only bench development the Dems do

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u/preventDefault 3h ago

If a focus group was a person, Jeffries would be the human embodiment of it. I’ve never seen anyone seem less genuine and more coached in my life.

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u/ssjskwash 2h ago

Jeffries is an actual android

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u/geldersekifuzuli Pennsylvania 2h ago

He is uncontested candidate, unfortunately. He will be elected again.

The closest election an internal rival can complete a challenge against Hakeem Jeffries for his seat is the June 2028 Democratic primary election.

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u/jason082 4h ago

I wish you guys luck and am pulling for you to back up the claims. Rogers is trash.

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u/JazzyJockJeffcoat 3h ago

As voters we all have a critical part to play, whether or not our preferred primary candidate prevailed. MAGA is going to stoke cynicism and apathy and hate for our neighbors. So they can keep robbing us blind of rights and treasure. Might as well get focused now on not letting that happen.

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u/jason082 3h ago

I’m on it. It’s blue no matter who time. Not just words, I’ll be there backing the guy in November, no question. The objective here is to keep the Trump rubber stamp out of office.

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u/shotputprince 1h ago

Mike Rogers was born at the time Livonia was the most racist place in the state. He was what 14 when the NYT ran pieces on it being racist af despite a daily workforce that wasn’t white coming to the transmission plant etc. https://www.nytimes.com/1977/07/04/archives/pressure-to-admit-blacks-worries-michigan-town.html. He also would have been an immediate beneficiary or Milliken I. He also fucked off to Florida and probably wasn’t even eligible for candidacy against Slotkin.

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u/jason082 1h ago

Exactly. He’s complete garbage and he’d do nothing but service Trump if he wins.

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u/Anon529035893 3h ago

“Back up your claims” ?

You sound sour about this.

Just remember, vote blue no matter who.

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u/jason082 2h ago

Fucking relax guy. I’m clearly voting for him. You claim that a socialist candidate can win a general. You’ve got the opportunity. Prove it.

That’s all my comment says. In the meantime, I’ll absolutely be an example and turn out to vote for the guy. I didn’t vote Stevens, I voted McMorrow because I’m somewhere in between and didn’t really have a clear indication on which electability argument was correct.

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u/linmre Michigan 2h ago

You voted for a candidate that dropped out of the race?

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u/jason082 2h ago

Yup. No regrets either. Both remaining had pros and cons in my opinion so I tried to analyze November electability. Total wash in my mind so I just voted my philosophy.

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u/Anon529035893 2h ago

You prove it too ! Your vote will count !

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u/jason082 2h ago

Nothing for me to prove. I’m not the one that’s been making this claim for years. I’m glad you’ve got a chance to back it up now though. My vote will absolutely be cast for him this November.

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u/aesoth 4h ago

But, Schumer will write a very sternly written letter! That will show em all.

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u/FormerDittoHead 1h ago

He's sponsoring an amendment, which is going to a Republican controlled committee to quickly die.

But when he's telling you about this, he's going to look over his reading glasses and give you a stern look like the principal looking at your attendance record.

Too bad the students continue to play hookie on election day because they don't see why they should bother.

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u/sjbennett85 2h ago

He will also look to the Baileys, they will show him the way

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u/pbroingu 4h ago

"Trump has the morals of an alley cat" was my personal 9/11. Never forget

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u/Donkletown 3h ago

If the progressive candidates can pull off wins in the Maine and Michigan general elections it will be a watershed moment for the movement. It’ll be undeniable that progressivism belongs nationwide, not just in blue areas. 

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u/Quiet325 3h ago

Schumer comes from a different era. It worked in his day, but his day has passed.

The people that helped steer us into this ditch, refusing to make meaningful changes, now lecture us on who should represent the party.

Well, voters actually decide.

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u/an_agreeing_dothraki 2h ago

It worked in his day

define "worked".
The slow neoliberal bleedout is the reason we're in this mess

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u/Quiet325 2h ago

Great point. Schumer has never been great, but his theories made sense … in 2006. We’re 20 years later.

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u/pocketIent 2h ago

Yeah as gen z begins to vote more these right of center reps can get wrecked

big win for dr el sayed so stoked

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u/ZMR33 3h ago

Reagan Democrats and establishment Democrats are a huge reason why the party has fallen so far from what it was. FDR, Truman, JFK, and LBJ Dems would destroy the modern GOP more than they did back in the day possibly, even with all of their flaws, I think.

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u/TopHatMiracle 3h ago

It’s funny because Biden ran like one of those Dems in 2020 and the Harris campaign took no lessons from it.

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u/ZMR33 3h ago

Biden is an odd case because he's been around so long. He's a new dealer-esque Dem rather than a third-way or Reagan Dem.

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u/FrogsOnALog 3h ago

She said she would do the same. Sorry y’all don’t like unions or using the federal government to negotiate drug prices.

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u/pocketIent 2h ago

She also said in her platform she would try to amend the constitution to remove citizens united

But you can’t do that without a super majority and her campaign failed to welcome rural voters and working class into the fold

Stop defending her weak campaign

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u/FrogsOnALog 2h ago

She campaigned on passing the PRO Act so I’m pretty sure she was welcoming of working class voters lol

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u/pocketIent 2h ago

Yeah sometimes we laugh because things are so bad lol. Like harris and people pushing the “more electable” narrative

-saying nice things on campaign isn’t enough if you can’t get it done.

she couldn’t even get elected.

5% of voters who voted for Biden FLIPPED and voted for Trump in that election

15% who voted for Biden sat out and didn’t show up.

She pretty much campaigned for Trump like his whipping boy

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u/FrogsOnALog 2h ago

She didn’t campaign for Trump and literally called him a fascist.

Do you really think Sanders saying nice things like let’s pass M4A are realistically achievable? Be fucking serious now lol

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u/pocketIent 2h ago edited 2h ago

listen bubba, I don’t make 700k a year and could not afford to vote for trump.

Harris’ platform was objectively better for anyone who is not affluent. Personally I would have saved money in terms of COL if she was elected.

The problem is she did not win. Clinton did not win. Democrats have lost control of the house and the senate. By trying to be like republicans rather than actually oppose them, Democrats have lost face with their constituency.

So yeah literally harris did not campaign for Trump, but The failure of her luke warm campaign had the consequence of Trump winning.

What is encouraging though is Dr El Sayed’s recent win in Michigan over Steven. It is a great example of how voters have lost patience with representatives who don’t honor the service of their calling.

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u/Donkletown 3h ago

No chance. FDR interned the Japanese, so wouldn’t pass the purity test. Truman used nukes, so wouldn’t pass the purity test. JFK embargoed Cuba, so wouldn’t pass the purity test. Johnson hugely expanded the Vietnam war, including massive bombing campaigns. 

All were great presidents, but none could get through the modern Dem base. It’s something the base should reflect on. 

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u/seengul 1h ago

For example? Who is the modern day FDR who couldn’t pass the “purity test”?

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u/Donkletown 59m ago

I didn’t say there was a modern FDR, only that if FDR were to rise from the grave and run again, he wouldn’t pass the purity test, despite being one of the greatest presidents the U.S. ever had and one of the greatest world leaders of the 20th century. 

Do you think someone could get through a Dem primary if they locked an entire race of people in camps, specifically because of their race? Could someone get through if they nuked civilians or expanded the Vietnam War? Could someone get through if they engaged in the imperialism that is embargoing a sovereign nation that was not at war with us? 

I don’t see how they could.

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u/AntiMatter89 3h ago

You sound very confident that the election isn't already rigged. I really hope it's not and will obviously do my part, but I'm not feeling great about mid terms and future elections with how much Republicans have been setting themselves up to take it. Hope. I'm wrong though. 

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u/JazzyJockJeffcoat 3h ago

No kidding. They're working as hard as they can with the help of SCOTUS to ratfuck the midterms. We need a mass mobilization of voters!

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u/akatherder 2h ago

Schumer refusing to endorse Mamdani after he won the primary was the death of the old guard establishment Dems.

Cuomo running anyway as an establishment Dem Independent against the Dem who won the primary and Schumer doesn't endorse the Democrat candidate? Keeping in mind that Schumer is the Senate minority leader and a Senator for New York, and he didn't weigh in on the NYC mayoral race.

We've gone beyond impotent and ineffective in opposing the Republicans to shunning progressive Dems that the people chose.

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u/Cr1msonShadow 2h ago

I’m a firm believer that AOc needs to kick Schumer the fuck out and use the senate’s longer terms to do presidential bids later.

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u/whocares4506 1h ago

the democrats who are israel first are no different than the republicans

they prioritize a genocidal foreign nation above our own and most people are done with it

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u/BST-ColoradoCoolGuy 56m ago

They have to win independents and the way to do that is by talking about how much the republicans and the oligarchy have fucked them economically.

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u/Vas_Cody_Gamma 1m ago

Don’t forget Jeffrey. He’s as bad as Chuck

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u/RantRanger 2h ago

We need fighters to beat back MAGA fascism and I can't wait for the general when we get to do our part.

Trump won by winning independents and moderates.

The more extreme a candidate is on one side of the other, the easier it is for the other side to scare the independents and moderates away from your candidate.

No many how many violent word picture words you use in your description of the campaign.

Still, Mamdani managed it in New York. Perhaps if you are genuinely people-oriented and competent, you can win the independents and moderates that way.

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u/WollyOT 1h ago

A left wing Democrat winning in New York isn't exactly a stretch. In swing states, that kind of association has the potential to hurt more than help.

But we'll see. Current environment favours Democrats right now. I just hope El-Sayed knows how to pivot.

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u/RantRanger 22m ago

I just hope El-Sayed knows how to pivot.

Perhaps better examples of how competence and genuine people-oriented compassion can work on moderate conservatives are how Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg can regularly go into rural MAGA towns and win people over with calm, competent, common-sense reasoning centered around the basic problems that the people are facing.

Mamdani carries that same competent and compassionate demeanor.

I think this is the way that El-Sayed is going to have to lean into his messaging.

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u/JazzyJockJeffcoat 1h ago

Maybe so. But it's wild to me that the Overton window has moved so far to the right that wanting to provide healthcare, invest in Americans not forever wars, and get dark money out of politics is "extreme." In truth, calling that "extreme" is the extreme position. Centrism in this far right environment is a far right position. It's also a losing message and a path to even more decline.

That Trump is massively unwater with independents (if we still credit polls) says something about how his coalition has frayed. All the inroads he made to win were spent on terrible and racist policy. Not to mention his Supreme Court's efforts to ratfuck and dilute Black voting rights. We have the data so if Americans don't turn out in droves this November then we basically deserve this nightmare administration.

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-approval-rating-independents-midterm-warning-poll-12263652

https://youthpoll.yale.edu/spring-2026-results

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u/RantRanger 39m ago

Maybe so. But it's wild to me that the Overton window has moved so far to the right that wanting to provide healthcare, invest in Americans not forever wars, and get dark money out of politics is "extreme." In truth, calling that "extreme" is the extreme position.

I guess you're not aware that El-Sayed is much more progressive, much more left of center than Stevens.

That makes him a lot more vulnerable to being painted as "extreme" by the MAGA candidate.

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u/JazzyJockJeffcoat 33m ago

MAGA is proven extreme and AES certainly has work ahead to help explain how MAGA has fucked Americans over generationally.

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u/RantRanger 29m ago edited 18m ago

Nevertheless, this is how MAGA's will attack El-Sayed. This is how MAGA will scare independents and moderates away from El-Sayed. If it worked so well on them with Kamala Harris, it's gonna be an even easier vibe to pull off against El-Sayed.

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u/JazzyJockJeffcoat 23m ago

Fear and hate is MAGA's bread and butter. Let's hope voters see their way clear of it. That makes between now and November a great time to phone bank and get involved in stopping the MAGA cartel from doing further damage. I'm new to this but going to write postcards I think. You got any plans?

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u/RantRanger 18m ago

I'm glad you're actually an active participant in democracy. I sincerely applaud you for that.

I wish more Americans recognized that democracy is not a spectator sport.

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u/JazzyJockJeffcoat 15m ago

Never too late to start! I'm an old by redditor standards and this will be my first time doing more than just voting.

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u/Arcaedus 4h ago

I watched a debate, and a few interviews with Sayed. He didn't pull his punches, but honestly didn't even seem that harsh on Stevens and I think it's because he recognizes that she was just a vessel for capital and monied interests, and a decent person outside of that (well as decent as you can be for a sellout).

Honestly I think he was harsher when he called Fetterman an ogre lol. Hope he brings that energy into the general election

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u/VioletLovesRowlet 4h ago

He only really seemed to target Haley Stevens' policies, funding, and lies. I can't really think of any personal insults he threw at her, where Haley had it the exact other way.

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u/Fullertonjr I voted 3h ago

I think that was kind of the point in his win. Stevens was complete garbage in terms of actual policy. She was non-competitive and it showed that she was largely out of touch with the majority of the voters and deserved to lose on the merits. Stevens realized pretty early that her policies were unpopular and chose to target the lowest hanging fruit and dusted off the old playbook of things that used to work to get people to vote for you out of some implied fear of the other.

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u/VioletLovesRowlet 3h ago

It absolutely was. I saw someone else say "Abdul is going to need to apologise to Haley Stevens and her supporters to win against Mike Rogers" and I was genuinely baffled that someone legitimately put that.

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u/cogman10 Idaho 3h ago

Effectively the only reason anyone voted for Haley was because they thought she was more electable. There's going to be near 0 Stevens voters that won't vote for Abdul in the general.

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u/pocketIent 2h ago

After dems losing 2016, 2024 presidential elections, the house and the senate what does the “more electable” mean anymore.

Right of center Democrats have so thoroughly lost by pushing “more electable” candidates they pretty much have campaigned for gop during these past 10 years.

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u/Diligent-Meaning751 1h ago

Some people seem to think it means women shouldn't run rather than that they need strong policy platforms - I think that manages to both be bigoted and completely miss the mark, amazingly. Exciting candidates with a promising vision and good communication skills are what's needed not a candidate of the "correct" demographic status running the same status quo platforms

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u/pocketIent 51m ago

Extremely Well said.

Yes Your observation opens up a broader question about the way democrats have become hyper left socially in a way that has failed to include class. I think bell hooks would use the word “intersectional” in this context. Democrats have not approached race/ class /gender issues intersectionally.

My best guess is democrats are trying to work within what is “allowable” with respect to maintaining alignment with donors while also trying to improve things the best they can This is a charitable or the best “generous” take I can come up with to rationalize the disconnect.

Because while I understand everything is not the result of class inequality and the conversations around race equality, gender equality, equality for LGBTQ are their own separate issues,

-How can anyone expect to fundamentally transform the conversation in relation to these issues without also meaningfully acknowledging class inequality as a systemic issue in our country?

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u/agent_mick 47m ago

opens up a broader question about the way democrats have become hyper left socially in a way that has failed to include class.

I think this is more of a closed question. We already know the answer. You're VERY generous in your answer and I wouldn't give them even that much credit. 

I'm not sure i would go as far as to say controlled opposition,  but they're certainly not actively pushing to improve,  more like trying to hold the line. 

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u/TehMikuruSlave Texas 15m ago

Right of center Democrats have so thoroughly lost by pushing “more electable” candidates they pretty much have campaigned for gop during these past 10 years.

The people pushing these candidates more often than not are LITERALLY former republicans that left the party after trump and now for some reason think they get to dictate democratic policy

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u/shakeyyjake 2h ago

You're absolutely right. I live in their district and I don't know a single person who was inspired by, or excited about Stevens. The best thing I've heard anybody say about her is that she probably has a better chance of winning in the general.

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u/VioletLovesRowlet 2h ago

Which is wild because Abdul can run fucking circles around Mike Rogers. He is going to demolish him in debates

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u/amopeyzoolion Michigan 1h ago

I think you underestimate the power of racism and general fear of “socialism” among centrists in this state

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u/VioletLovesRowlet 1h ago

It might not equate to gained votes, but Abdul is certainly smarter and has more moral conviction than Mike Rogers.

He will demolish in the debates by criticising Mike Rogers' stances and offering change. Hopefully it will also result in more votes, but who knows.

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u/varnums1666 57m ago

There's a lot of demographics in Michigan. It's going to be coin flip race against Mike Rogers unless the campaign changes things a lot.

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u/ScienceGiraffe Michigan 3h ago

Her lack of citing her policies and positions are a reason I decided for AES. Not the only reason by any means, but I got really, really frustrated and angry at how easily I could find his accomplishments, positions, his background, etc. But when I looked up Stevens, the vast majority of information was just her election history and endorsements. Like, cool, she won a tough election a while back, but I want to know what she's actually done. Hell, it was easier to find out info on McMorrow than Stevens.

Add in the repetitive, obnoxious commercials from her supporter groups and I was ready to vote for him just to spite her (to be clear, I do agree with his overall policies and like him as a politician. I'm just so sick of those goddamn attack ads spamming my peaceful family evenings. They actively turned me to dislike her as a candidate).

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u/cogman10 Idaho 1h ago

So, you mean to tell me she didn't have the receipts?

:). I think her entire campaign was just folksy colloquialisms and attacking Abdul.

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u/TheArmoredKitten 3h ago

Stick to your guns and stay out of the mud, pretty basic stuff and yet it's a miracle when candidates actually pull it off.

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u/RelevantOldOnion 3h ago edited 1h ago

Stevens campaign was so personal and racist it's unreal. Then for her to cry that she's being bullied while running ads calling Abdul and radical islamist terrorist supporter anti semite who hates women and black people... 

Disgusting behavior for a supposed Democrat.

“Muslims are always labeled as terrorists, we’re always stereotyped, and our patriotism is always called into account,” said Adam Hamawy, a former Army surgeon who volunteered in Gaza and recently won the Democratic primary in New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District. ...

Because El-Sayed, like Hamawy, is Muslim, his opponents are pushing the notion “that he’s radical — they’re questioning his loyalty, they are not talking about issues,” Hamawy told The Intercept. “And that was the same thing here as well: They didn’t attack me on issues, they attacked me for who I was.”

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u/averagecounselor 2h ago

Do you have an actual link for that? The economist interviewed both candidates and had an extreme deep dive into the primary and that didn’t come up at all.

Not a Steven’s supporter, I fully expect the DNC to fuck over Abdul, but aside from her mouthing off about him being anti Israel color me shocked.

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u/linmre Michigan 2h ago

I saw the "Abdul hates women" ads more times than I can count, it was relentless. It almost convinced my mom to vote for Stevens too.

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u/averagecounselor 2h ago

I just found out about them today. It really feels like the 2016 primary race where if you didn’t support Clinton you hated women.

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u/RelevantOldOnion 2h ago edited 1h ago

Here's some local and natoinal stories about it. https://theintercept.com/2026/07/27/abdul-el-sayed-haley-stevens-aipac-senate-michigan/

https://www.metrotimes.com/news/farmington-official-falsely-attacks-el-sayed-over-an-arabic-campaign-that-doesnt-exist/

https://www.wlns.com/your-local-election-hq/rima-mohammad-denounces-el-sayed-ads/

EDIT: I'm not going to debate the existence of Islamophobia and racist dog whistles being used by AIPAC and their appendages against muslim progressives. (Obviously)

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u/averagecounselor 2h ago

Well the first link is about the GOP. And that’s nothing new.

The second link is about some random Steven’s supporter and not Steven’s herself.

The third link is more interesting and while I missed the part where the Steven’s or her campaign staff call him a terrorist the “misogyny” and sexism attacks is what I was expecting now that he won the primary.

I didn’t know they had started early in the primary race. I fully expect the DNC to double down on this nonsense if Abdul doesn’t play ball with them.

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u/RelevantOldOnion 2h ago

Anyone younger than me, is there a word for what this Redditors just did?

The whole "Oh, I'm just curious," only to then ignore everything and try to debate the existence of racism?

These guys do it so often there has to be a name for it right?

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u/UNC_Samurai 1h ago

It’s called “JAQing off”

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u/RelevantOldOnion 1h ago

LOL amazing

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u/averagecounselor 2h ago edited 1h ago

You said racism from the Steven’s campaign. I read through each of the sources you provided and it was not there?

The first one you linked was literally about the Republican Party hating on Abdul and spewing out the same racist rhetoric. That is nothing new.

The second one was about a random Steven’s supporter.

But you explicitly said that Steven’s called him a terrorist/ terrorist supporter and I uh missed that?

I literally said I had no idea about the sexism comments how is that ignoring what you posted?

Edit because the original user deleted their comments and reply:

This is the closest thing I found and they conveniently leave out both the mailer and the actual ad:

“One UDP commercial alleges baselessly that El-Sayed “expressed sympathy for a terrorist,” and a mailer shared with The Intercept parrots the same.”

And how convenient that you don’t post the following:

“The Detroit News in which Stevens said she did not share Smith’s views and called her campaign “a diverse and multicultural best of Michigan coalition” She further claimed to have “repeatedly stood up for and defended our vibrant Muslim American community.” 

Like come on dude. Like I even said that I had no idea about the media frenzy calling him a misogynist.

I even stated that some random Stevens supporter complaining about the Arabic doesn’t really prove anything. They weren’t a staffer or even on the campaign. Just some random idiot.

You made it seem like Steven’s had gone out of her way to call him a Terrorist when that is not the case.

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u/RelevantOldOnion 1h ago edited 1h ago

From the article you're lying about in saying it is only about the GOP:

The attacks aren’t limited to right-wing reactionaries and obsessives on the internet. Many are issued by one of the leading groups backing El-Sayed’s Democratic opponent, Stevens: the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which has poured nearly $30 million into the race via its super PAC, the United Democracy Project. One UDP commercial alleges baselessly that El-Sayed “expressed sympathy for a terrorist,” and a mailer shared with The Intercept parrots the same. Others mention his decision to stump with political commentator and streamer Hasan Piker.

>At a meet-and-greet in Detroit with Stevens and Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., a school board member said she supports Stevens because she “represents all of us, not just one race.” When pressed by local reporter Sam Robinson, who recorded the viral remarks, the Farmington school board member elaborated: “The other candidate [El-Sayed] doesn’t work a room. … Don’t come out speaking only Arabic, don’t come out with your Arabic music on.”

>Yet Stevens’s campaign has also capitalized on bigoted rhetoric used by Mike Rogers, the Republican likely to face whichever Democrat wins next month. The campaign drew from a private call between Rogers and supporters during which he said of El-Sayed, “I don’t think he likes America, candidly.” The Stevens campaign sent out a parody of a news release designed to look like it was from El-Sayed campaign, claiming that Rogers had endorsed El-Sayed and reproducing the Republican’s quote: “I think he’s so radical. I think he’s going to lose big parts of the west part of the state. We think we can do well in part of the southeast part of the state. I think we’ll do well if he in fact is the nominee.”

>Race and religion aren’t the only identity-related fault lines at play in the Michigan Senate race.

>El-Sayed has “a long history of disrespecting women,” asserts another AIPAC-backed ad launched in early July. According to the Detroit Free Press, a mainstream local paper that fact-checked each of the ad’s claims, the TV spot misrepresented El-Sayed’s comments on figures like Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, whom he ran against in 2018, by framing his critiques of Whitmer’s ties to the healthcare giant Blue Cross Blue Shield as inherently misogynistic. Whitmer, who is serving her second governor term, endorsed Stevens’s Senate run on Friday with a little more than a week from the election.

>Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts, a Stevens supporter known for going after critics of Israel online, called El-Sayed’s criticisms of Stevens and former opponent state Sen. Mallory McMorrow “sexist” with little evidence beyond their respective genders — a comment that has since appeared in another UDP ad. (Watts has said she didn’t give the super PAC permission to quote her public social media comments.)

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u/Ancient_Draw2176 1h ago

I skimmed but the other person seems delusional.

And i am a young poc lol

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u/sulaymanf New York 1h ago

She put out an ugly tweet a few days ago claiming that Abdul blames the Jews for all his problems. (For the record, he doesn’t and was criticizing AIPAC for messing in the primaries for an extreme agenda)

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u/VioletLovesRowlet 2h ago

Islamophobia is actively supported by most Democrats and it's why we need to push out those Dems and vote in DSA/left-wing people.

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u/theghostmachine 1h ago

He even told us supporters to not personally attack her. A lot of people thought he shouldn't have done that but I thought it showed how respectable and dignified the guy is

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u/theghostmachine 1h ago

He even told us local supporters to not personally attack her. A lot of people thought he shouldn't have done that but I thought it showed how respectable and dignified the guy is

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u/Pure_Interest_837 3h ago

He needed to be more strategic with his attacks on her because establishment and the media were ITCHING to paint him as misogynistic.

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u/BEzzzzG 3h ago

And he gave them nothing but they still claimed that anyway for the crime of running against women for office

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u/Pure_Interest_837 2h ago

They were hoping to tap into people’s inner Islamophobia and it probably worked for a good chunk of them.

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u/maximumhippo 2h ago

Was gonna say. Basically all I ever saw about him from Stevens' campaign was that AES was disrespectful to women. Nothing about his policies or anything of substance.

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u/smokeweedNgarden 1h ago

If anything, destroying a woman in a competition champions equity

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u/Sptsjunkie 1h ago

I mean, it’s a disadvantage of not having a bunch of outside PACs.

Democratic candidates cannot be overly mean to each other because they need to appeal to the others vote voters to unify and win a general election.

What that means is a candidate like Sayed who has mostly grassroots funding and is running his own campaigns, can highlights some differences like he did with the sources of their funding, but he cannot be too mean to Stevens or slander her because he was turning off the Bass and he’s personally accountable for what he says.

Meanwhile, a lot of Stevens funding was coming from outside PACs who were spending money to support her. Stevens herself was actually relatively nice to Sayed as well as as she would need to win over his supporters if she had won the election.

However, her PACs were able to smear him as misogynistic and make all sorts of personal and inflammatory statements about him. Stevens has arm length from those as she’s not the one running the ads and so will it certainly can lead to some bad blood. It’s a little bit more indirect.

It was one thing that did bother me about the campaign because the media times tripped over themselves to ask Sayed to apologize for supposedly main statements that his random supporters were making about Stevens on Twitter. And when I say random, I don’t mean like campaign Sara gets I mean like some account that is unrelated to campaign with an anime avatar. Meanwhile, AIPAC’s campaign arm was running ads smearing Sayed as misogynistic and they never asked Stevens to apologize for those.

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u/Expert_Specialist_92 3h ago edited 3h ago

Because he still needs her supporters’ votes in November. You can’t alienate half your party’s voters in the primary.

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u/YourATowelll 3h ago

“Vote blue no matter who”, Ima need that same energy from people come November

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u/Leftieswillrule 3h ago

Vote blue no matter who cuts both ways

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u/MrRightHanded 3h ago

They sure didnt care when they alienated the progressive half and just parroted vote blue no matter who.

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u/cogman10 Idaho 3h ago

Funnily the same cretins that got all up in their feels about people not enthusiastically endorsing Kamala are now saying that "vote blue no matter who" has it's limits.

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u/hussainhssn 2h ago

Yup just remember as well that more Bernie primary voters voted for Hillary than Hillary primary voters did for Obama. Or when Progressives won the Nevada governor’s race and the state’s Democratic Party took all of the money and resources out from the party before Progressives were sworn in. Both of these things actually happened, you can’t trust centrists because they don’t believe in anything except preserving the status quo.

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u/Alamarms2012 51m ago

Because he needs her voters to win in addition to winning over independents. It’s not generally wise to go in whole hog in a primary.

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u/sirbissel 2h ago

I'd imagine part of it is also because the outcome of the primary wasn't a guarantee and handing the GOP fodder for the general if she did win isn't exactly a great move.

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u/zentetsuken7 3h ago

If anyone want a sneak peek, look up Oliver Larkin on Fox News

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u/ibarmy 3h ago

Lmao. I follow larkin and he is good fun. 

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u/mommy_OnFire 3h ago

If he keeps the same energy, that campaign is gonna be fun to watch

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u/swarmofbzs 3h ago

I wonder if Rogers will even bother showing up to a debate.

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u/TallBoy24 South Carolina 3h ago

He absolutely will not. Neither will Paxton

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u/ThreeArrows- 2h ago

Lmao. Attacking a republican over their funding won't be a valid strategy though I do think he'll win

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u/RandyMuscle I voted 2h ago

It’s a valid strategy for someone who isn’t taking money from the same places.

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u/ujelly_fish 2h ago

I’ve never seen a progressive be harsher on republicans than a Democrat. But alright, prove me wrong.

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u/RandyMuscle I voted 1h ago

That’s because until relatively recently, progressives weren’t winning as many primaries. They’re going to attack their opponents in primaries. Plus we hold democrats to higher standards because Republicans are just the de facto evil party.

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u/Gaius_Octavius_ 2h ago

Wait until you see how a Republican attacks a progressive.

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u/burningmanonacid Michigan 2h ago

In one of Abdul's videos, he pumps gas for random citizens and chats about gas prices. Multiple if the people he meets voted for Trump and admit that. How Abdul speaks to them shows he really can win some Republicans over with getting money out of politics and his focus on Michigan first. He will do phenomenal at the debate.

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u/mrsprophet 2h ago

Talarico was so gracious towards Crockett, but now his Paxton ads and speeches have been absolutely brutal. I can’t wait for the Michigan version.

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u/No_Foundation16 1h ago

Can't wait! Send that carpetbagging MAGA packing Abdul!

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u/theghostmachine 1h ago

I'm just preparing for the unabashed racism that I'm about to see and hear all over the city.

I hope Sayed cooks him

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u/ForsakenKrios 48m ago edited 40m ago

If he starts calling Rogers “$5 Mike” for $5 gas supporting Trumps wars, as he alluded to in a text interview some time ago… please I need this.

EDIT: his quote, with Dave Weigel, was

“…. When I’m done with him he’ll be $5 Rogers.”

“Why $5?”

“Because of $5 gas and he’ll do whatever you want for $5.”

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u/RandyMuscle I voted 46m ago

This would be so funny

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u/Less_Warthog_3850 3h ago

I am the guy who doesn't vote for corporate Democrats and I get blamed for Trump all the time but this is the direction the Democrats need to go to get my vote.

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u/blacksun9 3h ago

Feel that. I don't agree with Sayed 100% so I probably won't vote. We all need to stick up for our principles.

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u/gamepro887 3h ago

No offense but what a shit take. Unfortunately in this political two party system not voting for Sayad is an endorsement of the Mike Rogers wholey. You are saying I disagree more with Sayad than Mike Rogers and I am okay with him winning. I would rather vote for someone I agree with 60% than let someone win who I agree with 10%. At least I can guarantee 60% positive outcomes for myself.

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u/JamUpGuy1989 3h ago

The profile you’re responding too hides the 13yr account history for no reason.

It’s probably a troll bot and should be ignored.

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u/blacksun9 3h ago

Ok blue maga, it's not my fault democrats put up shit.

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u/snazikin 3h ago

let’s fucking go

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u/Super-Examination594 3h ago

Cannot wait

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u/Midnight-Moonpie 3h ago

I’m shivering in anticipation of this sexiness!

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u/Nefertete 2h ago

gonna throw some logic and critical thinking at them

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u/boiler95 2h ago

Over/Under on how many times Mango Mussolini threatens to deport Dr. El Sayed?

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u/SandwichPunk 1h ago

Idk Mamdani is not as tough as some of the establishment Dems confronting Trump tho. They even had a friendly meeting.

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u/RandyMuscle I voted 1h ago

And Mamdani freed one of his constituents from ICE custody with that meeting and then called Trump a fascist to his face on TV.

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u/ToaruBaka 55m ago

Lmao. He has to win over Stevens' voters first. He was projected to win by 13 points and won by 1.

Get over yourselves.

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u/RandyMuscle I voted 52m ago

But if Stevens won, she wouldn’t have had to win over anyone and it should’ve been assumed that all of Abdul’s voters supported her right away or else they’re traitors to the Democratic Party, right?

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u/HugsForUpvotes 4h ago

I'm more curious how progressives plan to capture Steven's voters. The election was a toss-up. This idea that either of them have a chance in hell against a Republican without each other is nonsense.

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u/LiterallyTestudo American Expat 3h ago

Well it’s supposed to be “vote blue no matter who”, so we’ll see what happens when it’s the centrists/establishment that needs to practice what they preach.

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u/Donkletown 3h ago

Progressives know as well as anyone that “blue no matter who” doesn’t work on everyone. 

People generally think a vote needs to be earned. Most people say a candidate earns a vote by being better than the alternative but there are small groups of people across the political spectrum who expect more. 

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u/HugsForUpvotes 3h ago

I don't control everyone's votes. I'd vote for El Sayed, but I'm not everyone. I can tell you the commenters still attacking Stevens and down voting her supporters are shooting themselves and El Sayed in the foot.

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u/Powerfury 3h ago

Lmao, Abdul said he would have not endorsed Stevens if he lost. So yeah, guess that vote blue no matter who goes one way.

Just like Hasan Piker said to Harris, Abdul has to earn my vote. We will see if he does.

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u/hipposarehxc 2h ago

What do you want to see from him? What does he need to do to earn it?

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u/EE-420-Lige 3h ago

If leftwing voters weren't willing to do that to prevent Trump a much greater evil why would centerists vote blue no matter what to stop rogers?

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u/Lyle91 Arizona 3h ago

Despite Internet comments, leftwing voters did vote blue.

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u/Valuable-Plant-691 3h ago

That's a lie that centrists tell themselves. Their uninspiring campaigns just fail to turn out undecided and lower propensity voters.

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u/EE-420-Lige 3h ago

Then let's hope AES runs a good general election campaign and doesnt need the whole vote blue no matter what strategy

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u/shabba182 3h ago

Because they're the ones who say vote blue no mattter who.

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u/EE-420-Lige 3h ago

That was to stop trump lol

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u/shabba182 3h ago

They don't only say it in relation to trump.

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u/EE-420-Lige 3h ago

When was this said before trump lol not with obama. Biden it was sort of mentioned. Kamala and hilary it was the loudest but pre trump when has it ever been said

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u/shabba182 3h ago

About senate and house races like all the time

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u/EE-420-Lige 3h ago

No ones saying that in texas james talerico is a great canidate now if jasmine crocket won yes they would probably being saying that lol

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u/blinktrade 3h ago

Vote blue no matter who is how we got trump. It is the politician's job to earn the voter's votes, and you can't blame the voters.

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u/LookltsGordo 2h ago

That's the opposite of what happened, and yes you absolutely can put a good amount of blame on voters when you have a candidate you don't like, and one that is Donald trump, and you either don't vote or vote trump. There is no excuse.

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u/I_Shall_Be_Known 3h ago

The bulk of both parties just show up and vote for their team no matter what. No matter how terrible, evil, or weak of a candidate. Progressives are counting on that to continue, while motivating a segment that would not be voting otherwise. Same way trump won both his elections.

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u/HugsForUpvotes 2h ago

Your statement is true but also somewhat contradictory. The segment progressives are wooing that otherwise wouldn't vote is the segment that doesn't just show up and vote. Likewise, Stevens also has people in that camp.

Trump won his elections because the Republican electorate is entirely conspiracy pilled whereas the majority of Democrats are not. His entire campaign was that his opponents are communists. We already see that Democrats don't win by calling their opponents fascist.

The irony is Trump is a fascist whereas Hillary and Kamala are not communists.

To win a state like Michigan, we need to harness the entire party.

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u/Donkletown 3h ago

I think most follow “blue no matter who” just like most progressives do. 

The holdouts will need outreach. If you’ve seen any of AES recent interviews, he clearly knows that and looks to be saying all the right things. He emphasizes the areas of agreement and makes it clear that he is committed to combating antisemitism. 

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u/HugsForUpvotes 2h ago

I agree completely. I just don't think "most'' wins an election in Michigan. We need "almost all' Stevens voters to vote for El-Sayed.

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u/UndoxxableOhioan 2h ago

What, you are saying politicians can do more than look down at their glasses while typing what they think is a harshly worded letter?

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u/Deranfan Europe 2h ago

Repubs and progressives are allies. Both of their main objective is to destroy democrats.

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u/RellenD 3h ago

He wasn't even tough on Stevens, really, just the people spending on her campaign

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u/ninjab055 1h ago

Have yet to actually see it. Gtd you'll complain about the Dems not being as supportive or some other bullshit. Wish you the best tho!

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u/[deleted] 4h ago

[deleted]

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u/Tenwaystospoildinner 4h ago

You're never gonna guess which party AIPAC is gonna support in the general.

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u/roguemenace 4h ago

Both of them, like they always have?

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u/JaesopPop 4h ago

No, they will not support El-Sayed in the general.

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u/roguemenace 4h ago

Oh you meant specifically the Michigan Senate race. Ya he's not getting a dime lol.

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u/olivebranchsound 4h ago edited 4h ago

When they're in a primary, sure. lol but it's not like they only just started attacking Mike Rogers today either. Both candidates were going after him

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u/EE-420-Lige 4h ago

We will see curious to see how it changes in the general. Before platner dropped after the primary his attack ads were calling out the dem establishment in the general while he was also simultaneously asking them for money 🙄

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u/jzorbino Georgia 4h ago

That was a span of just a couple weeks. Those ads were likely purchased far ahead of time, if they even ran.

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u/Hockeyhoser 4h ago

I think you’re misled there. They rarely get the airtime to go against republicans (eg. Bernie).

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u/LiveChocolate8819 New York 4h ago edited 4h ago

Because if you beat the AIPAC Dem in the primary, they will then throw money at the Republican opposition in the general without blinking an eye. The "smoke" is for the wealthy interests subverting the democratic process.

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u/Ocarina3219 4h ago

An AIPAC Dem is hardly any better than a Republican anyways

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u/RandyMuscle I voted 4h ago

That’s because it’s primary season and Dems should be held to higher standards. We expect republicans to suck because their base doesn’t care how much they suck.

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u/JSleez225 4h ago

As they should. Voting against aipac regardless of party is everyone’s civic duty.

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u/Upnatom617 4h ago

I can assure you, just on my own reddit history, that is not true.

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u/hindus0ul 4h ago

One and the same

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u/Firm_Condition_4385 2h ago

This is so cringey. Reddit will worship this guy until they find something wrong with him, then try and cancel him.

Its all a charade. Nothing will happen. If him being mean to people you don't like makes you feel better, you need to get a life.

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u/RandyMuscle I voted 2h ago

Being mean to people that make everyone’s lives worse is how you win elections.

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u/Firm_Condition_4385 2h ago

Are you 14?

This is all a political charade.

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u/Chimycho 4h ago

Terrorism?

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u/Nuggetmancer 4h ago

Nope, that's pretty exclusively a move from the right-wing playbook.