Staff Reports
The new pro‑Abdul El‑Sayed ad rolled out by a Rebellion PAC tied to Cenk Uygur has set off a political firestorm — and not just because it is clumsy. The spot links U.S. aid to Israel with rising grocery prices, a claim that critics across the political spectrum call misleading and, worse, steeped in old antisemitic tropes. Michigan voters deserve straight talk, not recycled fear-mongering dressed up as populism.
What the ad actually does
The ad shows shoppers in a grocery store blaming their full carts on U.S. support for Israel. It frames the argument as if money sent abroad is to blame for higher food bills at home. That’s a neat, simple storyline, which is probably why the PAC repurposed it from earlier campaign seasons. But it’s also a lazy and dangerous shortcut. Blaming Americans’ economic pain on a foreign ally — or on a whole people — slides quickly from politics to scapegoating. The ad’s message isn’t just bad math; it’s bad taste.
Campaign response — and the hollow disavowal
Abdul El‑Sayed’s campaign says the spot wasn’t produced by them and has distanced the candidate from the creative. Fine. But a spin‑room shrug from aides won’t cut it. Leaders don’t get to wash their hands and call it a day when outside groups cross a line. Congressional voices like Rep. Dan Goldman and Rep. Brad Schneider have urged a real, public condemnation. That’s not theater. It’s basic responsibility for anyone running for the U.S. Senate.
Why this matters to voters and to the party
This is not a narrow free‑speech fight. It’s about judgment and consequence. The ad plays into an ugly pattern: when politics gets desperate, someone looks for a convenient villain. The facts matter — U.S. military assistance to Israel is a small slice of the federal budget, and inflation is driven by many factors — but facts don’t always stop a catchy attack line. Democrats who tolerate or excuse this sort of messaging risk alienating Jewish voters and handing Republicans easy, deserved ammunition about where their allies’ priorities lie.
The right answer is simple
If Abdul El‑Sayed wants the trust of Michigan voters, he should demand the ad be taken down and say so clearly himself. If he won’t, his silence says more than any press release. And Democratic leaders should stop playing both sides: denounce the antisemitic framing, rein in toxic outside PACs, and get back to making arguments that actually solve grocery bills instead of pointing fingers at a community. Voters want solutions, not scapegoats — and they can tell the difference.
