Senatsvorwahl in Michigan: El-Sayed trotz 50-Millionen-Dollar-Widerstand von AIPAC in Führung
Abdul El-Sayed liegt zehn Prozentpunkte vor der Abgeordneten Haley Stevens vor der demokratischen Senatsvorwahl am Dienstag in Michigan, obwohl er von pro-israelischen Gruppen, darunter AIPAC, die über 50 Millionen Dollar in das Rennen gesteckt haben, im Verhältnis 12:1 überboten wurde.
Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive former public health official, holds a 10-point lead over four-term Representative Haley Stevens ahead of Tuesday's Democratic Senate primary in Michigan, according to recent public polls. The race has drawn national attention as a test of the influence of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which has spent more than $50 million backing Stevens and attacking El-Sayed.
Das Rennen und das Geld
El-Sayed has been outspent 12-to-1, with AIPAC's super PAC alone pouring over $50 million into the contest. During a televised debate on Monday, El-Sayed highlighted the disparity within the first three minutes.
Der Unterschied zwischen uns sind 46 Millionen Dollar an AIPAC-Ausgaben. Sie haben in diesem Rennen einen Rekord aufgestellt, um meine Gegnerin zu wählen, weil sie wissen, dass sie eine zuverlässige Stimme sein wird.
Stevens responded that she was „dem Volk von Michigan verpflichtet“, but the exchange underscored how central the pro-Israel lobby has become in the primary. Polling conducted over the last month has shown El-Sayed leading, with one survey giving him a 10-point advantage.
- El-Sayed hält Kundgebungen mit Streamer Hasan Piker an zwei Universitäten in Michigan, was auf Gegenreaktionen stößt.
- AIPACs Super-PAC beginnt mit millionenschweren Ausgaben gegen El-Sayed.
- Abschlussdebatte: El-Sayed nennt 46 Millionen Dollar an AIPAC-Ausgaben für Stevens.
- Tag der Vorwahl.
AIPACs Rolle und die Gegenreaktion
AIPAC's involvement has turned into a liability for Stevens among some voters. Criticism of the group has grown on both the left and the right, particularly since President Donald Trump launched a war against Iran in February. Joe Kent, who resigned as the administration's head of counterterrorism in March, said the U.S. entered hostilities „aufgrund des Drucks von Israel und seiner mächtigen amerikanischen Lobby“.
In a New York City primary earlier this year, Democratic challenger Brad Lander successfully weaponized incumbent Dan Goldman's ties to AIPAC, helping him secure an edge. Lander, who has called Israel's campaign in Gaza a genocide, said voters are fed up with candidates who take money from special interests.
Ich glaube wirklich, dass Kandidaten, die Geld von der Wall Street, von Krypto, KI und AIPAC nehmen – die Wähler haben die Nase voll davon.
El-Sayeds Koalition und Kontroversen
El-Sayed, who is of Egyptian descent and would be the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate, has built a coalition of young progressives and Arab Americans. In April, he campaigned with left-wing streamer Hasan Piker, whose past comments about the Oct. 7 attack and 9/11 drew sharp criticism. Stevens called the rallies „inakzeptabel“, but El-Sayed defended the move as outreach to a critical demographic.
In Dearborn, a Detroit suburb known as the capital of Arab America, a Friday night rally at the Bint Jebail Cultural Center drew emotional support. Suehaila Amen, a local activist, described the community's pain over the wars in Gaza and Lebanon.
Zu sagen, die Gemeinschaft leidet, ist wirklich eine Untertreibung. Selbst bei der Beantwortung dieser Frage kommen mir die Tränen, weil ich dort gelebt habe. Das ist auch mein Land – meine angestammte Heimat. Die Menschen haben das Gefühl, dass sie missachtet werden, dass ihr Leben nichts zählt.
El-Sayed has also faced attack ads accusing him of sexism, citing his past critiques of Governor Gretchen Whitmer and former first lady Michelle Obama's initiative. His 8-year-old daughter even asked why people say he is mean to women.
Stevens‘ Unterstützung durch das Establishment
Stevens has the support of much of the Democratic establishment, including Whitmer, retiring Senator Gary Peters, former Senator Debbie Stabenow, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Representative Jim Clyburn traveled to Detroit to campaign for her. Despite this, she has struggled to overcome El-Sayed's momentum. During the final debate, she took an unusual swipe at his popularity.
Mein Gegner hier, Abdul, er ist so ein talentierter Typ. Er hat drei Bücher geschrieben, er hatte 300 Podcasts.
Was auf dem Spiel steht
The primary outcome could influence control of the Senate and signal the direction of the Democratic Party on Israel. For El-Sayed's supporters, a victory would be a repudiation of AIPAC's spending power. Amen called the prospect „absolut spektakulär“ und „historisch“. Polls will close on Tuesday, with the winner likely facing a competitive general election in the battleground state.
