AIPAC Super PAC Resumes Spending Against Democratic Nominee Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan Senate Race

The United Democracy Project, AIPAC’s super PAC, has entered the Michigan Senate general election to oppose Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed, according to Jewish Insider. That outlet reported that the group spent nearly $100,000 on direct-mail advertisements against El-Sayed. Common Dreams, citing a campaign finance report filed on Friday, reported that the group spent $95,000 on mailers opposing him. The two reports give different figures, and the difference is not explained in either.

According to Jewish Insider, the mailers targeted 130,000 Jewish voters in Michigan and highlighted a comment El-Sayed made, “Hurt people hurt people,” in response to the terrorist attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan. El-Sayed later apologized and said he was attempting to provide “broader context” on the attack. Speaking honestly about a painful event, even in a political setting, is a matter of truthful speech (Ephesians 4:15).

The group had already spent heavily in the Democratic primary. Common Dreams reported that the UDP poured tens of millions of dollars into El-Sayed’s primary contest against Rep. Haley Stevens. Jewish Insider reported that the group spent tens of millions attacking El-Sayed and supporting Stevens, who fell one point short of victory.

The two candidates clashed at a debate on Thursday night over healthcare, drug prices, and military assistance to Israel, Common Dreams reported. Jewish Insider reported that Republican nominee Mike Rogers did not directly answer whether he would accept AIPAC support during that debate. Common Dreams quoted Rogers as saying during the debate, “Anybody that wants to help my campaign stop [El-Sayed]… I’ll take all of that help.”

Both outlets described tension between the UDP and Rogers’s campaign. Citing Axios, Common Dreams reported that in August Rogers’s allies asked AIPAC not to advertise on his behalf, and that Rogers spoke with AIPAC’s chair during that month. Common Dreams further reported, citing Axios, that the group shelved an already-cut video ad targeting El-Sayed. Jewish Insider reported that Rogers’s campaign reportedly did not want the group to openly spend in his favor.

El-Sayed responded on social media, according to Common Dreams, by saying that Rogers was in trouble when he begs AIPAC to spend against him. Separately, Jewish Insider reported that a newly formed super PAC, Together for Michigan, ran a debate ad featuring Taylor Weintraub, a mother of a student at the Temple Israel preschool.