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Jewish-led demonstrators hold a banner reading, “AIPAC Funds Genocide” near the lobby group’s New York office on February 22, 2024.
(Photo: Jewish Voice for Peace)
AIPAC, 'Murky' Donors Spend $50 Million to Help Stevens Beat El-Sayed in Michigan
"They may have the money," said the progressive primary challenger. "But we have the many."
Jul 16, 2026
In what one congressional reporter described as a "full-court press" to stop progressive US Senate candidate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and other outside groups have spent nearly $50 million in support of fourth-term Congresswoman Haley Stevens ahead of Michigan's August 4 Democratic primary.
According to Federal Election Commission (FEC) campaign finance filings, El-Sayed—the former director of Wayne County's Department of Health, Human, and Veterans Services—raised more than double Stevens’ fundraising haul over the last three months. El-Sayed's campaign reported $4.6 million for the second quarter, while Stevens' team said it brought in $2.2 million.
However, outside spending for Stevens from what the Detroit Free Press described as "murky" groups has dwarfed the amount spent for El-Sayed. The political advertisement tracker AdImpact said that of the $46 million spent or reserved by the two campaigns for television ads, nearly three-quarters has been spent on behalf of Stevens or against El-Sayed.
Since the end date on the FEC disclosures, additional outside spending in support of Stevens is estimated to have soared to roughly $50 million, according to an analysis by Punchbowl News congressional reporter Ally Mutnick.
Last Friday, United Democracy Project (UDP), which is affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), disclosed that it has spent nearly $15 million on the Michigan US Senate race so far, including $9.3 million in support of Stevens and $5.7 million against El-Sayed.
El-Sayed has called Israel a “rogue state” that is committing “genocide and apartheid,” while urging an end to “unilateral blank checks” from the US. His claims are supported by findings from United Nations experts, an International Court of Justice advisory opinion, and governments and human rights groups around the world.
A separate political action committee, A Stronger Michigan, reported spending more than $12 million so far in support of Stevens' campaign, according to the nonprofit media outlet Bridge Michigan. Sludge's Minnah Arshad reported last month that the dark money group appears to be connected to Jeffries Murray, a longtime lobbyist whose clients have included the American Gas Association, Facebook parent company Meta, and military-industrial complex titan Northrop Grumman.
FEC filings show former Congressman Mike Rogers, who is seeking the Republican nomination for Senate, received $10.7 million in combined outside expenditures.
El-Sayed appeared undaunted by the outside spending disparity. "They might have the money," he said on social media Thursday. "But we have the many."
Citing Stevens' Wednesday vote against a failed amendment to cut off US military aid to Israel and new polling from Data for Progress, El-Sayed's campaign said that "86% of Michigan primary voters are less inclined to vote for a candidate who supports continued funding to Israel."
"Congresswoman Stevens had a choice: stand with the majority of Democrats who oppose unconditional military aid to Israel, or stand with the special interests funding her campaign," El-Sayed said after the vote. “She chose to side with AIPAC and Republicans to continue to fund a war machine that has taken the loved ones of many Michigan families."
"She made her choice. I’ll make mine," he added. "As Michigan’s next senator, I want to keep our hard-earned tax dollars here in Michigan to invest in Michigan healthcare and Michigan infrastructure rather than continuing to send bombs to a foreign government.”
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In what one congressional reporter described as a "full-court press" to stop progressive US Senate candidate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and other outside groups have spent nearly $50 million in support of fourth-term Congresswoman Haley Stevens ahead of Michigan's August 4 Democratic primary.
According to Federal Election Commission (FEC) campaign finance filings, El-Sayed—the former director of Wayne County's Department of Health, Human, and Veterans Services—raised more than double Stevens’ fundraising haul over the last three months. El-Sayed's campaign reported $4.6 million for the second quarter, while Stevens' team said it brought in $2.2 million.
However, outside spending for Stevens from what the Detroit Free Press described as "murky" groups has dwarfed the amount spent for El-Sayed. The political advertisement tracker AdImpact said that of the $46 million spent or reserved by the two campaigns for television ads, nearly three-quarters has been spent on behalf of Stevens or against El-Sayed.
Since the end date on the FEC disclosures, additional outside spending in support of Stevens is estimated to have soared to roughly $50 million, according to an analysis by Punchbowl News congressional reporter Ally Mutnick.
Last Friday, United Democracy Project (UDP), which is affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), disclosed that it has spent nearly $15 million on the Michigan US Senate race so far, including $9.3 million in support of Stevens and $5.7 million against El-Sayed.
El-Sayed has called Israel a “rogue state” that is committing “genocide and apartheid,” while urging an end to “unilateral blank checks” from the US. His claims are supported by findings from United Nations experts, an International Court of Justice advisory opinion, and governments and human rights groups around the world.
A separate political action committee, A Stronger Michigan, reported spending more than $12 million so far in support of Stevens' campaign, according to the nonprofit media outlet Bridge Michigan. Sludge's Minnah Arshad reported last month that the dark money group appears to be connected to Jeffries Murray, a longtime lobbyist whose clients have included the American Gas Association, Facebook parent company Meta, and military-industrial complex titan Northrop Grumman.
FEC filings show former Congressman Mike Rogers, who is seeking the Republican nomination for Senate, received $10.7 million in combined outside expenditures.
El-Sayed appeared undaunted by the outside spending disparity. "They might have the money," he said on social media Thursday. "But we have the many."
Citing Stevens' Wednesday vote against a failed amendment to cut off US military aid to Israel and new polling from Data for Progress, El-Sayed's campaign said that "86% of Michigan primary voters are less inclined to vote for a candidate who supports continued funding to Israel."
"Congresswoman Stevens had a choice: stand with the majority of Democrats who oppose unconditional military aid to Israel, or stand with the special interests funding her campaign," El-Sayed said after the vote. “She chose to side with AIPAC and Republicans to continue to fund a war machine that has taken the loved ones of many Michigan families."
"She made her choice. I’ll make mine," he added. "As Michigan’s next senator, I want to keep our hard-earned tax dollars here in Michigan to invest in Michigan healthcare and Michigan infrastructure rather than continuing to send bombs to a foreign government.”
In what one congressional reporter described as a "full-court press" to stop progressive US Senate candidate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and other outside groups have spent nearly $50 million in support of fourth-term Congresswoman Haley Stevens ahead of Michigan's August 4 Democratic primary.
According to Federal Election Commission (FEC) campaign finance filings, El-Sayed—the former director of Wayne County's Department of Health, Human, and Veterans Services—raised more than double Stevens’ fundraising haul over the last three months. El-Sayed's campaign reported $4.6 million for the second quarter, while Stevens' team said it brought in $2.2 million.
However, outside spending for Stevens from what the Detroit Free Press described as "murky" groups has dwarfed the amount spent for El-Sayed. The political advertisement tracker AdImpact said that of the $46 million spent or reserved by the two campaigns for television ads, nearly three-quarters has been spent on behalf of Stevens or against El-Sayed.
Since the end date on the FEC disclosures, additional outside spending in support of Stevens is estimated to have soared to roughly $50 million, according to an analysis by Punchbowl News congressional reporter Ally Mutnick.
Last Friday, United Democracy Project (UDP), which is affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), disclosed that it has spent nearly $15 million on the Michigan US Senate race so far, including $9.3 million in support of Stevens and $5.7 million against El-Sayed.
El-Sayed has called Israel a “rogue state” that is committing “genocide and apartheid,” while urging an end to “unilateral blank checks” from the US. His claims are supported by findings from United Nations experts, an International Court of Justice advisory opinion, and governments and human rights groups around the world.
A separate political action committee, A Stronger Michigan, reported spending more than $12 million so far in support of Stevens' campaign, according to the nonprofit media outlet Bridge Michigan. Sludge's Minnah Arshad reported last month that the dark money group appears to be connected to Jeffries Murray, a longtime lobbyist whose clients have included the American Gas Association, Facebook parent company Meta, and military-industrial complex titan Northrop Grumman.
FEC filings show former Congressman Mike Rogers, who is seeking the Republican nomination for Senate, received $10.7 million in combined outside expenditures.
El-Sayed appeared undaunted by the outside spending disparity. "They might have the money," he said on social media Thursday. "But we have the many."
Citing Stevens' Wednesday vote against a failed amendment to cut off US military aid to Israel and new polling from Data for Progress, El-Sayed's campaign said that "86% of Michigan primary voters are less inclined to vote for a candidate who supports continued funding to Israel."
"Congresswoman Stevens had a choice: stand with the majority of Democrats who oppose unconditional military aid to Israel, or stand with the special interests funding her campaign," El-Sayed said after the vote. “She chose to side with AIPAC and Republicans to continue to fund a war machine that has taken the loved ones of many Michigan families."
"She made her choice. I’ll make mine," he added. "As Michigan’s next senator, I want to keep our hard-earned tax dollars here in Michigan to invest in Michigan healthcare and Michigan infrastructure rather than continuing to send bombs to a foreign government.”
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