Haley Stevens shreds Abdul El-Sayed: 'We don't need a celebrity candidate'

By Fox News · Fox News

Rep. Haley Stevens, R-Mich., repeatedly called Abdul El-Sayed the "celebrity" candidate in the Michigan Senate race during Monday's Senate Democratic debate, arguing that El-Sayed's podcast, books and political activism pale in comparison to her time in Congress. The race between Stevens and El-Sayed has become a microcosm of the battle over the Democratic Party's future. On Aug. 4, Democratic voters will decide whether to back Stevens, who has the support of the Democratic establishment, or El-Sayed, a socialist-supported challenger who has called for abolishing ICE and is strongly critical of the United States' support for Israel. In her opening remarks, Stevens rattled off her qualifications as the Democratic Party's best chance of winning the Senate race, pointing to flipping her seat in 2018, being named Michigan's most effective Democratic lawmaker by the Center for Effective Lawmaking in 2025 and being endorsed by Democratic Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer . "My only focus is you," Stevens said. "Abdul is running for celebrity. Republicans are propping up his campaign, and Mike Rogers, just the other day said in a secret phone call that he made it easier for him to win, that he's the one he wants to run against." DEM CIVIL WAR HITS PRIMARY DEBATE STAGE IN FIERY BATTLEGROUND SHOWDOWN: 'WHAT ARE YOU HIDING?' Stevens was referring to a phone conversation Republican candidate Mike Rogers had with supporters last month in which he said his campaign would be in "good shape" if El-Sayed were the nominee. "Look, this isn't about the D.C. or New York influencer crowd," Stevens said. "This is about putting Michigan first." Later in the debate, Stevens said she is standing up to Trump's "abuses of powers," while taking a dig at Abdul by saying she's doing so without "shouting into a bullhorn, not getting in front of the first camera I see, but doing the hard work." SWING-STATE POLL SPELLS TROUBLE FOR FAR LEFT AS SCHUMER-BACKED CANDIDATE DOMINATES WITH CRITICA…