In Detroit, pro-Israel Senate candidate Haley Stevens meets pro-Palestinan El-Sayed voter

During a campaign stop in Detroit, pro-Israel Democratic Senate candidate Haley Stevens met a voter who had already cast his primary ballot for her opponent Abdul El-Sayed, citing Israel aid as the deciding factor. The voter, Jai Singletary, told Stevens he opposes further US aid to Israel due to alleged atrocities, highlighting the role of Israel policy in Michigan's Democratic primary.

Hours before a debate with her primary rival, US Rep. Haley Stevens, a pro-Israel Democratic Senate candidate, made a campaign stop at a Detroit cafe. During the visit, she met Jai Singletary, director of a local neighborhood improvement association, who revealed he had already voted for her opponent, former county health director Abdul El-Sayed. Singletary told Stevens that Israel aid was the deciding factor, stating, 'Genocide isn't a Palestinian issue' and that the US should not give aid to Israel while it commits 'atrocities.' Israel denies genocide accusations. The interaction highlights the centrality of Israel policy in Michigan's Democratic primary, where El-Sayed has questioned Israel's existence as a Jewish state and Stevens has received nearly $30 million from AIPAC. Singletary, who is Black, said Israel is an important issue in his Detroit community, comparing the situation to Apartheid-era South Africa. He said his vote was '100% exclusive' based on Israel. Stevens responded by name-dropping a Palestinian supporter and mentioning her work with pro-Palestinian Rep. Ro Khanna. The primary is set for Aug. 4.