Rep. Haley Stevens seeks to secure Black church voters in Michigan Democratic primary against Dr. Abdul El-Sayed
Rep. Haley Stevens is focusing her final campaign weeks on Michigan's predominantly Black churches to secure the support of older voters, who form the party's most reliable base. She is highlighting her ties to President Barack Obama and her endorsements from the Congressional Black Caucus to differentiate herself from her primary opponent, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed. While Dr. Abdul El-Sayed has received significant backing from pro-Israel lobbying groups, Stevens aims to capitalize on the user-friendly, established Democratic infrastructure. The race is complicated by the lingering influence of the 2024 Uncommitted movement, which saw some Black voters protest the Biden administration's support for Israel's military campaign in Gaza. This movement created a divide between those who supported the Uncommitted option and those who who supported Kamala Harris, leading to some tension among Black voters. Stevens faces a competitive primary where the outcome will likely depend on the other candidates' ability to engage the Black electorate, which makes up roughly a quarter of the state's Democratic voters.