El-Sayed Campaign Bars Stevens From Final Michigan Events

A growing dispute among Michigan Democrats has disrupted the final days of the 2026 midterm campaign, with Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed asking former primary rival Rep. Haley Stevens to stay away from his remaining campaign events. The request comes ahead of Election Day on Tuesday, November 3, as candidates across the United States intensify their efforts to secure votes.

Two sources familiar with the matter confirmed the request to CBS News. Politico first reported the development, which follows a public disagreement between El-Sayed and Stevens over campaign messaging and US support for Israel.

The dispute also threatens a planned joint appearance Sunday at a Detroit church. El-Sayed and Stevens had been expected to attend alongside South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn to encourage Black voters to support the Democratic Senate nominee.

On Friday, Stevens urged El-Sayed to condemn an advertisement from an outside group connecting US military assistance to Israel with increasing grocery prices. She characterized the advertisement as antisemitic and criticized previous remarks by El-Sayed concerning US support for Israel and affordability challenges in Michigan.

Stevens also called on the nominee to apologize and remove a campaign advertisement featuring conservative commentator Tucker Carlson. El-Sayed's campaign has maintained that it has no affiliation with the outside group's advertisement.

Responding Friday night, El-Sayed accused Stevens of reopening disagreements from their Democratic primary contest, which ended three months earlier.

"Seems intent on relitigating a primary that ended three months ago," El-Sayed said of Stevens.

The disagreement intensified after Stevens' fiancé, Jason Turkish, publicly announced that he intended to vote for Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers. Stevens, however, reaffirmed her support for El-Sayed during an interview with CNN.

Elsewhere, Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa is targeting Hispanic male voters through a campaign advertisement scheduled to air Saturday during Mexican boxing star Canelo Álvarez's fight against Christian Mbilli.

The 30-second advertisement carries the title translated as "Don't let yourself be pushed around." It promotes Hinojosa's central campaign message, "Fight back," while highlighting proposals involving public school protections, limits on data center expansion and lower taxes.

According to Hinojosa's campaign, the advertisement contrasts her proposals with what she describes as Republican Gov. Greg Abbott's priorities, arguing that the three-term governor favors wealthy donors and large corporations.

Immigration enforcement has also become a significant issue among Latino voters in South Texas, where the Senate contest between Democrat James Talarico and Republican Ken Paxton remains competitive. CBS News' latest polling shows nearly 60% of Hispanic voters supporting Talarico.

Texas has not elected a Democrat to the US Senate since 1998. Conversations about immigration policy and Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportations are influencing voters across the region.

Griselda Vera, a Mission, Texas, resident, told CBS News that immigration enforcement has created anxiety among local families.

"Aren't even leaving their homes," Vera said, describing the situation facing some families.

She also described concerns about seeking emergency assistance because of immigration enforcement.

"Are scared to call the police in case of an emergency," Vera said.

Vera believes these concerns could influence voting decisions among Hispanic residents.

"I think that the community is tired of being under attack," Vera said.

She added that frustration with the situation remains widespread in the community.

"We're tired of having a foot on our neck," Vera said.

Other voters expressed support for stricter immigration enforcement. Arturo Salas, a McAllen resident, said he favors mass deportations and a border wall, emphasizing the importance of enforcing immigration laws.

"You broke the law. You cannot break the law, brother. You can't," Salas said.

Salas questioned the effectiveness of laws if violations carry no meaningful consequences.

"Why have a law if it's gonna be irrelevant?" Salas said.

Raul Ortiz, a Texas resident who has served in the US Border Patrol for more than 30 years, described the southern border over the past two years as the quietest period he has experienced. Although he praised the Trump administration for reducing illegal border crossings, he expressed concern about the effects of enforcement on workers who contribute to the US economy.

"I think Americans want moderation. They want something in the middle," Ortiz said.

Ortiz also emphasized the need to balance immigration enforcement with recognition of immigrant workers' contributions to society.

"We have an immigrant population out there that is important to our society, and then we also need to recognize that we have some folks in here that don't belong in this country. We need to figure out how to get them out," Ortiz said.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump held a campaign rally in Florida and reversed an earlier position by announcing plans to hold additional rallies in Kansas and Ohio during the weekend.

The Justice Department also sought to separate certain Alaska Senate ballots while investigating how a man with a name nearly identical to Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan's appeared on the ballot. Democrat Mary Peltola denied involvement in the matter.

In California, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order late Friday prohibiting the federal government from requiring state and local election officials to separate ballots or exclude certain votes allegedly cast by noncitizens. The order also prevents the Justice Department from threatening officials with criminal prosecution for refusing to comply.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries is scheduled to join Democratic nominee Elaine Luria at a Get Out the Vote rally in Virginia Beach on Saturday, October 31. The event coincides with the final day of early in-person voting in Virginia and targets Democratic turnout in the competitive 2nd Congressional District.

CBS News polling gives Democrats an advantage in the House of Representatives, while control of the Senate could depend on competitive races in Maine, Ohio, Texas and other states. South Carolina has also been classified by CBS News as a Republican-leaning battleground.

Nearly 50 million Americans have already voted early, according to the source report, as campaigns enter the final stretch before the November 3 midterm elections.