Democratic candidates stumble over support for Israel
According to Arutz Sheva on November 1, 2026, a growing dispute within the Democratic Party over support for Israel is threatening to undermine the party's chances in one of the most closely watched Senate races ahead of Tuesday's US midterm elections. In Michigan, Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed has refused to appear alongside former primary opponent Rep. Haley Stevens, as tensions between the two have escalated over their sharply differing positions on Israel. The dispute intensified after Stevens demanded that El-Sayed apologize for his remarks about Israel. The disagreement has even prompted Stevens' husband to announce that he intends to vote for Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers instead. At the center of the conflict are the candidates' opposing positions on Israel. Stevens is considered a strong supporter of the Jewish state, while El-Sayed has accused Israel of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip and drawn comparisons between Israel and Hamas. El-Sayed narrowly defeated Stevens in the August primary, but divisions remain unresolved and have spilled over into the candidates' personal circles.