Michigan Democratic Senate candidate faces criticism from Black leader and primary rival

Charles E. Williams II, president of the Michigan chapter of the National Action Network, criticized Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed in undercover footage, according to the New York Post. The New York Post reported that Williams described El-Sayed as an untrustworthy salesman and stated that there is disdain for him in the community. [1]

The criticism coincides with a growing rift within the state party. CNN, The Guardian, and The Wall Street Journal all reported that El-Sayed is involved in a feud with his former Democratic primary rival Haley Stevens, which has disrupted attempts at party unity ahead of the midterm elections. [2][3][4]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, El-Sayed asked Representative Stevens to stay away from his remaining campaign events following a dispute over comments and an advertisement regarding Israel. Stevens previously lost to El-Sayed in the Democratic primary for the United States Senate election in Michigan. [11]

External funding is also shaping the Senate race in the state. According to Michigan Public, outside groups have spent millions of dollars on advertisements aimed at weakening support for El-Sayed among Black voters. [6]