How Abdul El-Sayed’s ‘extraordinary’ win stunned pro-Israel establishment

Following a surprising upset in the Michigan Democratic Senate primary, the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (Aipac) is now planning to support the Republican candidate, Haley Stevens, against Democratic opponent Abdul El-Sayed in the November election. This shift indicates that the influential pro-Israel lobbying group is not ideologically tied to any particular party.

Aipac emphasized its commitment to backing pro-Israel Democrats and Republicans who align with their values. The Michigan race, which saw unprecedented levels of spending, became the most expensive Democratic primary in history, largely due to outside groups financing Stevens' campaign. Despite losing the Democratic primary to El-Sayed by a narrow margin, Stevens benefited from the high voter turnout and support from Arab-American communities in Detroit.

El-Sayed, an Egyptian-American Muslim who has never held elected office, outperformed expectations by securing more than half a million additional votes compared to previous races. His campaign emphasized truth and justice as central pillars, resonating with voters who were dissatisfied with the status quo. Notably, El-Sayed received considerable backing from the IMEU Policy Project, an organization advocating for Palestinian rights.

The Aipac's strategy of spending heavily to influence elections has been effective, as evidenced by their support for Stevens in previous races, including her successful House of Representatives campaign against Andy Levin.