Michigan Senate Democratic Primary Turns Into Anti-Israel vs. AWFUL

Michigan Senate Democratic Primary Turns Into Anti-Israel vs. AWFUL

Michigan Senator Gary Peters (D) announced in January 2025 that he would not be running for reelection in 2026, and just a few months later, the Democratic contenders for the seat began declaring their candidacies.

There were a slew of April 2025 announcements, including Rep. Haley Stevens (MI-11), who has served in Congress since 2019 and is arguably the best-known among those on her side of the aisle in the race. She announced in late April 2025 that she was entering the race, painting herself as a fighter for Michigan who would stand up to President Trump.

State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, who was the first Democrat with name recognition to throw her hat into the ring, immediately tried to portray herself as a discontented outsider looking to shake things up and do things differently than Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).

Failed 2018 Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed, a former Wayne County health department director, jumped in as well, quickly using Bernie Sanders-style rhetoric to attack Trump. El-Sayed, who Sen. Sanders also endorsed, was one of the 100,000 or so (13%) Democratic voters who cast “uncommitted” ballots in the 2024 Democratic presidential primary to express opposition to Joe Biden seemingly taking Israel’s side in the Israel-Hamas war.

Stevens was widely viewed in establishment Democratic circles as the “favorite” to win the primary, partly because she was seen as the most “electable” due to her name recognition and congressional experience. But just a few months in, there were growing signs of discontent with her campaign, with NOTUS reporting in October that “Democrats in Michigan and Washington are growing more critical” of her campaign, “which has been dogged by public missteps, underwhelming fundraising, and a rising concern that her more liberal primary opponents are running more dynamic races.”

Those concerns have been validated, considering that Stevens is now trailing both McMorrow and El-Sayed in the polls. And even when she was ahead in them, it was within the margin of error in most cases. She just never really broke out or stood out among the pack.

Being on the outside looking in, what appears to be helping both McMorrow and El-Sayed are two things: their belief that D.C. Democrats haven’t done nearly enough to stand up to Trump, and their anti-Israel /AIPAC rhetoric, which has been especially interesting since McMorrow’s husband is Jewish.

They’ve both called Israel’s actions in the Israel-Hamas war a “genocide,” and El-Sayed has made clear he wants to stay on the good side of Dearborn voters who were saddened over the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which happened during Operation Epic Fury.

Stevens, in contrast, is effectively part of the “Swamp” in Congress, so her trying to make a convincing case that she’s an outsider is not really something she can do. Plus, she’s endorsed by AIPAC.

And as a sign of where the Democratic electorate stands in Michigan, Stevens, the most pro-Israel candidate on the Democratic side in the Michigan primary, has had to distance herself from AIPAC’s support.

Stevens was booed at this past weekend’s Democratic Nominating Convention in Michigan, an event Elizabeth covered extensively here.

Some very audible and prolonged booing for US Rep. Haley Stevens, who is running for U.S. Senate, at the Michigan Democratic Party convention. pic.twitter.com/ykVbgVVzny

— Beth LeBlanc (@DNBethLeBlanc) April 19, 2026

Haley Stevens is booed as she takes the stage at the MDP Convention in Detroit. She spoke over people screaming "shame" and other comments, many about Palestine, through most of her remarks.

"Democrats, I love you, even when we disagree," Stevens said. pic.twitter.com/dIHKC8EOW9

— Andrew Roth (@RothTheReporter) April 19, 2026

"It's extensive," said University of Michigan Regent Jordan Acker, when asked about the level of antisemitism in the state party. "The question we have to ask as Jews is whether we still belong here?" https://t.co/Y841mIF0lT

— Josh Kraushaar (@JoshKraushaar) April 20, 2026

In contrast, El-Sayed was warmly received:

Abdul El-Sayed receives a standing ovation and applause from Democrats at the Michigan Democratic Party convention.

El-Sayed is seeking the Democratic nomination for US Senate in Michigan.

Video credit: @LilyCGuiney https://t.co/qnuXUQ3yxa pic.twitter.com/jLTLy82FFw

— Politics & Poll Tracker 📡 (@PollTracker2024) April 19, 2026

Meanwhile, this is how McMorrow, who once “joked” about committing violence against conservative SCOTUS Justices, entered the convention:

Mallory McMorrow walked into the second half of today's convention flanked by DrumKINGZ and a whole lot of supporters.

Many are calling it McMentum. pic.twitter.com/5XUQbfnpLw

— Team McMorrow (@TeamMcMorrow) April 19, 2026

It truly is turning into the “jihadist vs. AWFUL” primary race, isn’t it?  Somewhere, former Rep. Mike Rogers (MI-08), who narrowly lost his 2024 Senate race against Elissa Slotkin, and who has received Trump’s endorsement in this one, has got to be smiling.

– Stacey Matthews has also written under the  pseudonym “Sister Toldjah” and can be reached via X. –

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