Democratic Primary candidate Haley Stevens left her rally in Traverse City Friday after social media influencer and political activist Walter Masterson loudly questioned her association with the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, also known as AIPAC.
Stevens was talking to locals and community members when the influencer, with more than 5 million followers on TikTok and Instagram, showed up and boisterously interrogated the U.S. Senate candidate about her campaign funding.
“Haley Stevens takes $46 million dollars in PAC money,” Masterson said. “That’s the kind of small-town values Michiganders love.”
The event at Right Brain Brewery was hosted with support from the Grand Traverse Democratic Party.
The current Michigan 11th Congressional District representative was escorted to her car by her campaign staff and swiftly left the scene, while Masterson stayed outside the car to shout about AIPAC.
Later that evening, she canceled her meet and greet with voters in Bay City because Masterson was in attendance.
"We did not feel that it was safe here given that there are protesters here," said Joetta Appiah, a spokesperson for the Stevens campaign.
Masterson has publicly supported the congresswoman's primary opponent, Abdul El-Sayed, a 41-year-old epidemiologist from Rochester Hills. He said that he would've respected Stevens more if she didn't cancel her event and spoke about her campaign funding.
"If she came walking through this door and said, 'hey, listen, I took this money, what of it? I'm proud to take this money from these people' ... not that I would have liked her or whatever, but I would have actually respected that," Masterson told WCMU after the Bay City event was canceled.
Stevens's campaign has accepted over $30 million from United Democracy Project, which is affiliated with AIPAC. She also accepted over $12 million from A Stronger Michigan, a PAC group that has connections to Jefferies Murray, a lobbyist whose firm represents Facebook's parent company, Meta.
She said during her debate against El-Sayed earlier this month that, "no one owns my vote, and no one owns my policies."
These events were among Stevens' last stops before Tuesday’s primary election.
Chairperson of the Grand Traverse Democratic Party Harold Lassers said there is frustration among Stevens’ opponents because AIPAC and other outside organizations are spending millions on her campaign.
“This is illustrative of the disaster that is Citizens United,” he said.
The race between El-Sayed and Stevens has gained national attention as the Democratic Party looks for who will face Republican Mike Rogers in November's midterm election. The differences between Stevens and El-Sayed has left some Democratic voters in the party split.
"I don't remember when we were so divided," said Bay City resident Nancy Hickner. "It's very sad for us older Democrats who are used to the big tent and people at least trying to get along."
Lassers said the Democratic Party has strong candidates, either way they go.
“I like to say that we have an embarrassment of riches in our ballot and the other side has an embarrassment,” he said.
Lassers and the Grand Traverse Democratic Party will not endorse any candidate until the primary election is decided.
Stevens’ supporters were not as neutral about what happened at the Traverse City brewery.
“That's not how we get things done in politics,” Traverse City local and former Northwestern University faculty member Scott Stein said. “I thought it was disgraceful.”
Stein and his wife, Carol, said they have both already voted for Stevens.
Carol Stein was also a faculty member at the University of Illinois Chicago. She said that the far-left movement was doing a similar thing the Republicans have done during the campaign process.
“When you're scared of another candidate, instead of just trying to have calm, rational discussions, you try to disrupt,” she said.
Stevens herself said that she has been transparent about her funding, while El-Sayed has been hesitant to release his tax returns.
“My opponent waited till hundreds of thousands of Michiganders had voted to release his personal financial disclosure,” Stevens said. “He still hasn't released his full financial disclosure.”
Despite all of the tension, Stevens believes that the Democratic Party can back the same candidate after the primaries, no matter who it is.
“Aug. 4th, 8 p.m., the polls closed, the votes are counted, we're all on the same team.”
