Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed tells his primary rival, a congresswoman, to stay away from his campaign events, citing 'distractions'

The public rupture between progressive Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed and moderate congresswoman Haley Stevens threatened to hand Republican Mike Rogers a crucial advantage in one of America's tightest Senate contests. El-Sayed told reporters "I don't want any distractions" after Stevens's fiancé, Jason Turkish, had been actively campaigning for Rogers. Representative Debbie Dingell brokered the split, telling Stevens directly "this isn't working" after the pair had been scheduled to appear together at a Detroit church service on Sunday.

Stevens endorsed El-Sayed after losing the August primary but had until this weekend avoided appearing publicly with him, while repeatedly criticising him.

New York mayor Zohran Mamdani defended El-Sayed, claiming he was facing "blatantly racist attacks" — though Trump and Rogers have centred their attacks on El-Sayed's alleged family ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.