Abdul El-Sayed has rejected any link to a campaign ad that backs his Michigan Senate bid while criticizing U.S. aid to Israel. The Democratic candidate says Rebellion PAC made the video without his team, and his campaign has no role in its message.
The clip takes place in a supermarket, where a couple debates whether they can afford eggs. Their talk shifts to the federal money sent to Israel, with the woman blaming that spending for cash strains at home. The video uses a $7 carton to make its point.
Federal military support for Israel topped $21 billion across the period examined by Brown University's Costs of War Project. But the ad ties that spending to grocery bills without showing that it caused the price of eggs.
El-Sayed's campaign wants the focus on living costs in Michigan instead. His team says President Donald Trump's policies are putting pressure on household budgets, while stressing that outside groups cannot speak on the candidate's behalf.
And the video has gained plenty of attention online. Its view count passed 6 million on X, despite Rebellion PAC reporting a modest $4,000 in digital spending against Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers. No TV ad purchases have been disclosed.
Rogers has pledged firm support for Israel. The video targets that stance and ends with images of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alongside Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, two far-right figures in his political circle.
The ad also borrows a familiar campaign theme about gender identity, but redirects it at Rogers and the Israeli leaders. Rather than attack Democrats over transgender issues, it uses those references to question the Republican candidate's priorities.
Haley Stevens, who lost a close Democratic primary to El-Sayed, has criticized the message. She believes the ad wrongly connects American living expenses with support for Israel. Her preferred fixes include more housing, better health care access, and changes to federal taxes.
Meanwhile, the Rogers campaign has accused El-Sayed's political allies of spreading hostility toward Israel. Spokeswoman Abby Ronson defended the Republican as someone seeking to represent all Michigan residents, regardless of their views on the conflict.
Jewish community members linked to Nonnegotiable Michigan have raised concerns as well. They argue that the video draws on antisemitic stereotypes, a charge rejected by its promoter, Cenk Uygur. He maintains that the criticism concerns Israel's government rather than Jewish people.
Uygur, who leads The Young Turks, shared the clip through his X account. His political committee dates back to a congressional campaign, while an earlier version of the ad appeared during his unsuccessful presidential bid.
The dispute comes during a close Senate contest with clear divisions over U.S. policy toward Israel. El-Sayed opposes sending American military support to the country and has sharply criticized its campaign in Gaza.
That war followed Hamas-led attacks that killed roughly 1,200 people in Israel. Health authorities in Gaza place the Palestinian death toll at no fewer than 74,000. The conflict has become a point of disagreement among Democrats, particularly over future military assistance.
El-Sayed has also tried to build ties with Jewish voters despite criticism of his position. Hundreds have backed his candidacy through a public letter, while other Jewish residents remain opposed to his approach.
Stevens had substantial outside backing during her primary campaign. A super PAC linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee spent over $30 million on advertising that benefited her. The organization has since directed significant financial support toward Rogers.
Even after losing the nomination, Stevens has not given El-Sayed a clear public endorsement in the accounts cited. Her latest criticism adds to the visible strain between rival factions of Michigan's Democratic coalition.
The ad remains the work of an independent political committee, not an official El-Sayed campaign production. Its reach has been large online, but the reported spending behind it remains relatively small.
The clip takes place in a supermarket, where a couple debates whether they can afford eggs. Their talk shifts to the federal money sent to Israel, with the woman blaming that spending for cash strains at home. The video uses a $7 carton to make its point.
Federal military support for Israel topped $21 billion across the period examined by Brown University's Costs of War Project. But the ad ties that spending to grocery bills without showing that it caused the price of eggs.
El-Sayed's campaign wants the focus on living costs in Michigan instead. His team says President Donald Trump's policies are putting pressure on household budgets, while stressing that outside groups cannot speak on the candidate's behalf.
And the video has gained plenty of attention online. Its view count passed 6 million on X, despite Rebellion PAC reporting a modest $4,000 in digital spending against Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers. No TV ad purchases have been disclosed.
Rogers has pledged firm support for Israel. The video targets that stance and ends with images of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alongside Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, two far-right figures in his political circle.
The ad also borrows a familiar campaign theme about gender identity, but redirects it at Rogers and the Israeli leaders. Rather than attack Democrats over transgender issues, it uses those references to question the Republican candidate's priorities.
Haley Stevens, who lost a close Democratic primary to El-Sayed, has criticized the message. She believes the ad wrongly connects American living expenses with support for Israel. Her preferred fixes include more housing, better health care access, and changes to federal taxes.
Meanwhile, the Rogers campaign has accused El-Sayed's political allies of spreading hostility toward Israel. Spokeswoman Abby Ronson defended the Republican as someone seeking to represent all Michigan residents, regardless of their views on the conflict.
Jewish community members linked to Nonnegotiable Michigan have raised concerns as well. They argue that the video draws on antisemitic stereotypes, a charge rejected by its promoter, Cenk Uygur. He maintains that the criticism concerns Israel's government rather than Jewish people.
Uygur, who leads The Young Turks, shared the clip through his X account. His political committee dates back to a congressional campaign, while an earlier version of the ad appeared during his unsuccessful presidential bid.
The dispute comes during a close Senate contest with clear divisions over U.S. policy toward Israel. El-Sayed opposes sending American military support to the country and has sharply criticized its campaign in Gaza.
That war followed Hamas-led attacks that killed roughly 1,200 people in Israel. Health authorities in Gaza place the Palestinian death toll at no fewer than 74,000. The conflict has become a point of disagreement among Democrats, particularly over future military assistance.
El-Sayed has also tried to build ties with Jewish voters despite criticism of his position. Hundreds have backed his candidacy through a public letter, while other Jewish residents remain opposed to his approach.
Stevens had substantial outside backing during her primary campaign. A super PAC linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee spent over $30 million on advertising that benefited her. The organization has since directed significant financial support toward Rogers.
Even after losing the nomination, Stevens has not given El-Sayed a clear public endorsement in the accounts cited. Her latest criticism adds to the visible strain between rival factions of Michigan's Democratic coalition.
The ad remains the work of an independent political committee, not an official El-Sayed campaign production. Its reach has been large online, but the reported spending behind it remains relatively small.
