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● InformationalForeign PolicyEconomy

Barack Obama hasn't endorsed a Michigan Senate candidate. An AIPAC-linked group is spending millions on ads with him anyway

Outside groups supporting Stevens are using Obama's past praise of her auto-rescue work in ads during the Senate primary.

Barack Obama hasn't endorsed a Michigan Senate candidate. An AIPAC-linked group is spending millions on ads with him anyway
Image · CNN International

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Outlet credibilityCNN International83/100 HIGH
This article1 analysis · Oct 3, 2026
tl;dr

Outside groups supporting Haley Stevens are spending heavily on ads featuring old praise from Barack Obama, although he has not endorsed her. The ads have prompted criticism in the Michigan Democratic Senate primary, where Abdul El-Sayed has far less outside support.

Community verdict

VOTING CLOSED
How does this story look for
Haley M. Stevens D · MI-11
NOT RATEDCLOSED

No good or bad look here

This story reports what happened without casting Stevens in a good or bad light, so readers don’t rate it and it doesn’t count toward Stevens’s record.

● INFORMATIONAL

People in this story

SWIPE →

Democratic Senate candidate whose supporters are featured in the ad campaign

PRIMARY SUBJECT

Democratic Senate candidate and Stevens's opponent in the Michigan primary

El-Sayed's version of this story ↗
Bernie Sanders
I · VT · SEN

Senator whose endorsement of El-Sayed appears in an ad

Republican Senate candidate expected to face the Democratic primary winner

Representative whose supporters used Obama footage in an earlier Illinois Senate primary

Kamala Harris
Former U.S. Senator (D-CA)

Former vice president whom El-Sayed endorsed in 2024

Illinois lieutenant governor and Democratic Senate nominee in an earlier primary

ALSO MENTIONED  Barack Obama, Former president whose past praise of Stevens appears in the ads; Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli prime minister criticized by Stevens during the campaign; David Axelrod, Democratic strategist and CNN political analyst commenting on the use of Obama footage; Denzel McCampbell, Detroit City Council member backing El-Sayed; Jonathan Kinloch, Wayne County commissioner and Stevens supporter; Keith Williams, Chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party Black Caucus and Stevens supporter; Wendell Anthony, Detroit NAACP president and Stevens supporter

Part of a bigger story

3 OUTLETS
AIPAC-Linked Groups Spend Millions Backing Stevens in Michigan Senate Primary

Outlets agree that AIPAC-linked groups are spending millions to support Haley Stevens in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary against Abdul El-Sayed. Left-leaning outlets frame the spending as an effort to defeat El-Sayed and suppress Democratic criticism of Israel, also noting Stevens voted against an aid-cut amendment. Center outlets focus on the spending’s scale and influence; one also highlights ads using Barack Obama’s past praise despite his lack of endorsement.

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