AIPAC’s political action committee, United Democracy Project, is re-entering the high-stakes Michigan Senate race, focusing its recent spending on Democrat Abdul El-Sayed. This move comes after a significant absence from the general election scene, where the PAC had previously invested heavily to oppose El-Sayed during the Democratic primary.
The PAC disclosed in a recent Federal Election Commission report that it has allocated $95,000 towards mailers aimed against El-Sayed, who has been outspoken in his criticism of Israel. Previously, the group had spent around $33 million opposing him in the primary and supporting his rival, Rep. Haley Stevens, a staunch Israel supporter.
In the current general election, El-Sayed faces off against Republican Mike Rogers, who has criticized El-Sayed’s positions regarding Israel. During their first debate, Rogers expressed his acceptance of AIPAC’s involvement in the race, despite earlier requests from his campaign for the group to remain neutral.
Rogers stated, “I’ll take all of that help,” in reference to any support against El-Sayed, whom he accused of failing to denounce terrorism due to his affiliations. El-Sayed countered by asserting his condemnation of such acts, emphasizing his commitment to prioritizing domestic issues like education and healthcare over foreign military expenditures.
In the debate, when questioned about funding for Israel in the event of an attack, El-Sayed firmly stated, “I don’t want our tax dollars buying weapons for other countries,” and criticized the notion as a “ridiculous hypothetical.” He further highlighted his stance by stating, “I don’t want to be pushed into war by Israel, and I don’t want to be in a war with Iran.” El-Sayed’s perspective prioritizes investing in American infrastructure and services instead of foreign military aid.
Photo credit: Paul Sancya
