Haley Stevens agreed to campaign with Abdul El-Sayed days before Michigan’s Senate election, then demanded an apology and the feud reignited

The Democratic primary rivals, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed and Representative Haley Stevens, reignited their sharp criticisms of each other on Friday, just days before Michigan’s pivotal Senate election. The clash came after a brief moment on Thursday evening when the two appeared to have made peace, with Stevens agreeing to campaign with El-Sayed.

As reported by The New York Times, Stevens, a supporter of Israel, had announced plans to join El-Sayed on the campaign trail this weekend. The move briefly gave Democrats hope that the two were putting past criticisms behind them.

On Friday morning, Stevens issued a statement promoting her campaign plans with El-Sayed, but she also laid out several demands. She said she expected El-Sayed to apologize for comments he had made regarding Israel and to disavow what she described as an antisemitic ad from an outside group.

The truce barely lasted a day before the demands came in

Stevens also called for El-Sayed to take down an ad from his own campaign that featured Tucker Carlson. The apology demand is not the first El-Sayed has faced over his remarks, as he has already apologized over synagogue attack comments.

Stevens took aim at El-Sayed’s campaign message in the same statement. “Abdul promises to get money out of politics. He can begin by getting Israel out of his explanation for everything Michigan cannot afford,” she said.

Later on Friday, El-Sayed, the progressive who secured the Democratic Senate nomination in Michigan, responded to Stevens’ demands. He said in a statement that Stevens, the moderate candidate he defeated in the primary, was “intent on relitigating” their race.

The exchange followed days of questions about where Stevens stood. Appearing on CNN on Sunday, she declined to explicitly say whether she was “still fully behind” El-Sayed, instead saying she was “on the team” and naming other Michigan Democratic candidates, as reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

El-Sayed faces Republican Mike Rogers, a former congressman backed by President Donald Trump, in the November 3 race to succeed retiring Democratic Senator Gary Peters. The contest could play a critical role in determining which party controls the Senate.