Michigan's Democratic race for the U.S. Senate intensified Tuesday night as Rep. Haley Stevens and former Wayne County Health Department Director Abdul El-Sayed confronted one another during a debate that highlighted the ideological divide within the party ahead of the Aug. 4 primary, as reported by Fox News.
The debate came as Democrats compete to replace retiring Sen. Gary Peters in one of the nation's most closely watched Senate races.
The winner of the Democratic nomination is expected to face former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, who is the leading Republican candidate for the seat in the November general election.
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Stevens, who has received support from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Democratic establishment figures, repeatedly defended her record in Congress while challenging El-Sayed on transparency and campaign funding.
El-Sayed, who has been endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, portrayed himself as an outsider focused on reducing corporate influence in politics and advancing progressive priorities.
One of the debate's sharpest exchanges centered on outside spending and campaign financing.
"If you want your politics dictated by AIPAC or Chuck Schumer, then I'm not your guy," El-Sayed said as he criticized the influence of corporate and pro-Israel political organizations.
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Stevens responded by accusing El-Sayed of benefiting from Republican political spending.
"What my opponent needs to answer is, why is the GOP spending thousands of dollars to prop up his campaign, saying that he will make Mike Rogers the next U.S. senator?" Stevens said.
The candidates also sparred over financial transparency.
Stevens noted that she had publicly released her tax returns and challenged El-Sayed to do the same.
"Well, look, transparency is also important, and this is why I have released my tax returns. My opponent, Abdul, he said that transparency is key, but yet he hasn't released his tax returns," Stevens said.
"Abdul, you talk about getting money out of politics and putting money in people's pockets. But who is putting money in yours? What are you hiding?"
Foreign policy also became a major topic during the debate.
El-Sayed criticized the role of AIPAC in American politics and argued that its influence affected U.S. policy toward Israel.
"So long as our politicians continue to be bought off by AIPAC do not be surprised when we fight wars that are in their best interest," El-Sayed said.
Stevens said she supports a two-state solution and drew a distinction between her position and that of her opponent.
"The difference between my opponent and myself on this issue is that I believe in a two-state solution," Stevens said. "I can say that Israel has a right to peacefully exist alongside the people of Palestine and in Gaza."
Immigration enforcement emerged as another point of disagreement.
El-Sayed reiterated his position that Immigration and Customs Enforcement should be abolished and criticized Stevens over a House vote that he argued reflected support for the agency.
Stevens rejected that characterization and said Republicans had combined unrelated issues into a single bill.
"There was a bill on the House floor to condemn an antisemitic terrorist attack that in Boulder, Colorado, that killed an individual and injured a Holocaust survivor. Instead of bringing us together, Republicans put in a cynical point about thanking ICE," Stevens said.
"I am always going to stand up to violence, and I just wish my opponent wouldn't pursue the cynical approaches of Republicans when we do need to be united."
The candidates also debated childcare policy and artificial intelligence.
Stevens promoted expanding childcare grants and paid family leave, while El-Sayed proposed making childcare "100% free" by taxing billionaire wealth.
On artificial intelligence, El-Sayed called for stronger federal regulation, union labor requirements, and what he described as an "FDA for AI's."
Stevens argued that operators of data centers should bear their own utility and water costs rather than passing those expenses on to Michigan residents.
The debate took place two days after state Sen. Mallory McMorrow suspended her Senate campaign. McMorrow said she would support the eventual Democratic nominee in the general election.
Stevens praised McMorrow as "an important voice" for Michigan families, while El-Sayed said she had demonstrated the "courage" to challenge what he described as a political system influenced by establishment interests.
Throughout the debate, Stevens highlighted her work in Congress, her service on the Obama administration's U.S. Auto Rescue Task Force, and legislation aimed at protecting American manufacturing.
"We can build affordable cars here in Michigan without having the Chinese come in and eat our lunch. Not on my watch," Stevens said.
El-Sayed emphasized that he does not accept PAC contributions and pointed to his endorsement from the United Auto Workers.
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"There's a reason that the UAW has endorsed me in this race," El-Sayed said, arguing that corporations are "a lot more interested in a quarterly bottom line than they are in the long term sustainability of manufacturing."
The Michigan Senate contest remains one of the most competitive races of the 2026 election cycle as Democrats seek to retain the seat, and Republicans attempt to flip it in a state won by President Donald Trump in the 2024 election.
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