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Pro-Israel Senate candidate Haley Stevens meets pro-Palestinian voter in Detroit primary battle

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • US Representative Haley Stevens, a Democratic Senate candidate in Michigan, encountered a supporter who voted for her opponent due to her stance on aid to Israel.
  • The interaction highlighted the influence of the Israel-US conflict on Michigan's Democratic Senate primary, particularly concerning pro-Palestinian sentiment and its reach across racial lines.
  • The candidate, who has received significant backing from pro-Israel groups, faced direct questioning about US responsibility for peace and the allocation of aid.

US Representative Haley Stevens, campaigning for the Democratic Senate nomination in Michigan, found her routine campaign stop disrupted by a voter whose decision hinged on her stance on aid to Israel. During a visit to a Detroit cafe, Stevens engaged with local owner Jeff Tatum and discussed party unity, aiming to rally support against Republican rival Mike Rogers.

I’m on the Democratic team. I’m on the Beat Mike Rogers team.

— Haley StevensStevens' response when asked by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency about Jewish Democratic donors potentially fundraising for Republican candidate Mike Rogers if she lost the primary.

However, the conversation shifted when Jai Singletary, director of a neighborhood improvement association, revealed he had cast an early vote for Stevens' opponent, Abdul El-Sayed. Singletary directly challenged Stevens on US policy toward Israel, stating, "Genocide isn’t a Palestinian issue. We’ve all got to care about this." He expressed a belief that "our country is directly responsible for peace not being achieved" and argued against sending further aid to Israel given the ongoing actions in the region.

Genocide isn’t a Palestinian issue. We’ve all got to care about this.

— Jai SingletarySingletary's statement to Stevens, revealing his vote for her opponent and his reasoning based on the conflict in the Middle East.

Singletary, also a local soccer coach, elaborated on his concerns, saying, "We’ve got to have the money stay here. I don’t think we should be giving any more aid to the State of Israel while they’re committing the atrocities they’re committing in widespread collective punishment." This exchange underscored key questions facing Michigan's Democratic Senate primary: the extent to which voters are considering Israel in their decisions and whether pro-Palestinian sentiment, a driving force for El-Sayed's campaign, resonates across different racial demographics, including within Black communities where Stevens has historically maintained support.

our country is directly responsible for peace not being achieved.

— Jai SingletarySingletary's assertion regarding the United States' role in the ongoing conflict.

Stevens, described as a pro-Israel centrist, has received substantial financial backing from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), reportedly its largest-ever investment in a single race. The interaction with Singletary brought into sharp focus the complex intersection of domestic politics, foreign policy, and voter priorities in a closely watched primary.

We’ve got to have the money stay here. I don’t think we should be giving any more aid to the State of Israel while they’re committing the atrocities they’re committing in widespread collective punishment.

— Jai SingletarySingletary's further explanation of his stance on US aid to Israel.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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