Abdul El-Sayed tells supporters to stop personal attacks on rival Haley Stevens after gaffes draw mockery

Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed urged supporters Friday to stop making personal attacks on his primary rival, Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.), after “speaking gaffes” by Stevens drew mockery online, according to a report by The Hill. In a statement shared with supporters, El-Sayed said it had become “impossible to ignore the way that people online make fun of my opponent for things that have nothing to do with her,” framing the request as an effort to keep the focus on issues rather than personal criticism.

El-Sayed’s comments arrive during a Michigan Democratic primary contest for the seat, in which Stevens, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, is seeking to maintain support against a challenger inside the party. The Hill reported that the renewed attention to Stevens followed a series of speaking errors that were amplified on social media, prompting some supporters to attack the lawmaker personally.

In the same appeal, El-Sayed told supporters to stop “attacking Stevens,” arguing that the mockery was not connected to the work Stevens was elected to do, and that supporters should direct their attention elsewhere, The Hill reported. The request reflects a common campaign tension in competitive primaries, where online content can shape how candidates and their supporters engage with one another.

The Hill said El-Sayed’s warning was directed at how supporters were discussing Stevens, not at policy disagreements. The statement indicates that the campaign viewed the behavior as a reputational and messaging risk, particularly when criticism is tied to gaffes rather than to legislative record, voting positions, or policy proposals.

The report did not identify specific gaffes, nor did it include direct responses from Stevens or her campaign. It also did not provide detail on whether El-Sayed’s team sought to moderate online activity by issuing additional guidance beyond the Friday message.

As the primary campaign proceeds, El-Sayed’s push to reduce personal attacks may affect how supporters post and comment online, but it does not change the underlying contest structure or the formal campaign requirements for Michigan’s election. The statement primarily addresses campaign conduct and messaging among supporters, according to the account in The Hill.

A further practical question for both campaigns is whether attention to speaking errors continues to dominate public discussion or shifts back toward policy and legislative priorities. Until additional statements or documentation emerge from either campaign, the scope of El-Sayed’s request remains limited to the conduct of supporters after the online mockery began, as described in the report.