Stevens’ Fiancé Backs Rogers as She Stands by El-Sayed
Turkish, a Jewish Democrat and civil rights attorney, said he would vote for Rogers because he believes El-Sayed’s criticism of Israel and comments about the Gaza war have made Jewish people less safe. Turkish said El-Sayed’s rhetoric had intensified since the August Democratic primary, which El-Sayed won over Stevens. He also criticized the nominee for not denouncing a campaign advertisement linking U.S. support for Israel with rising grocery prices; El-Sayed’s campaign has said it was not involved in the ad.
Turkish attended a gathering for Rogers organized by the Republican Jewish Coalition in Birmingham on October 28. He described his choice as putting country before party. Stevens’ former campaign chair, David Kramer, has also said he plans to vote for Rogers, citing concerns about Jewish safety.
Stevens, who endorsed El-Sayed after her primary loss, said on CNN on October 28 that she wants the Democratic nominee to win. She described her household as divided politically. El-Sayed responded that voters may prioritize their disagreements with him and said his campaign is building a broad coalition. The general election is set for November 3.
Stevens Stands With El-Sayed as Fiancé Backs Rogers
With control of the Senate at stake, El-Sayed is campaigning on checking President Donald Trump and advancing Democratic priorities. On October 28, he said voters are entitled to weigh their disagreements with him against the issues they share. Stevens, who lost the Democratic primary to El-Sayed and later endorsed him, reaffirmed that she wants him to win.
Her fiancé, Jason Turkish, said he would vote for Rogers, arguing that El-Sayed’s statements about Israel and Gaza put Jewish people at risk. Turkish also faulted El-Sayed for not condemning an advertisement linking U.S. support for Israel to grocery prices; El-Sayed’s campaign said it had no part in the ad. Those are Turkish’s judgments, while El-Sayed has defended his campaign’s effort to bring together voters.
Turkish attended a Rogers event hosted by the Republican Jewish Coalition in Birmingham on October 28. Stevens described the couple as a politically divided household. Her former campaign chair, David Kramer, has also said he plans to vote for Rogers. The election is November 3, and the arguments over Israel have exposed sharp divisions among Democrats.
Democratic Defections Put El-Sayed’s Israel Record Under Scrutiny
A Jewish Democrat close to Rep. Haley Stevens is rejecting his party’s Senate nominee, saying Abdul El-Sayed’s comments on Israel and Gaza have made Jewish people less safe. Jason Turkish said on October 28 he would vote for Republican Mike Rogers, turning his criticism into a direct challenge to Democrats seeking to unite behind El-Sayed before the November 3 election.
Turkish also criticized El-Sayed for not denouncing an advertisement that linked U.S. support for Israel with higher grocery prices. El-Sayed’s campaign said it was not involved in the ad. Turkish attended a Rogers gathering organized by the Republican Jewish Coalition, and Stevens’ former campaign chair, David Kramer, has also said he intends to vote for Rogers.
Stevens has endorsed El-Sayed and said she wants him to win, despite her fiancé’s opposition. She described their household as divided. El-Sayed has said voters can decide that their disagreements with him outweigh other shared priorities. But his appeal for party unity does not erase the concerns Turkish says have grown since the primary, which El-Sayed won over Stevens.
Reported by The Daily Wire, Townhall, New York Post, Breitbart, The Washington Examiner, Newsweek, Twitchy, Fox News, Hot Air, CBS News, Mother Jones.
