During the final televised debate before Michigan's Aug. 4 Democratic primary, Abdul El-Sayed said the leaked "ogre" remark was aimed at Senator John Fetterman, not rival Haley Stevens. El-Sayed emphasized his calls for civility and said he had reprimanded supporters who mocked Stevens' accent. The primary has become a proxy fight between establishment moderates and progressives, with sharp divisions over Israel and high-profile endorsements on both sides.
El-Sayed: ‘Ogre’ Comment Targeted John Fetterman, Not Rival Haley Stevens
Abdul El-Sayed at a campaign rally in Ferndale, Michigan on Saturday.Photograph: Rebecca Cook/Reuters
In Monday's televised debate — the final head-to-head before Michigan's Democratic primary on Aug. 4 — gubernatorial hopeful Abdul El-Sayed told voters that a controversial line in leaked Zoom audio was aimed at U.S. Senator John Fetterman, not his primary opponent, Haley Stevens.
Debate Moment and the "Ogre" Remark
Moderator Roop Raj raised the leaked Politico audio in which El-Sayed said, in part:
"Ideally you put one ogre on a pike, and then everyone else gets the message, and all of a sudden [it] starts to sound a lot different."
The line drew swift criticism from prominent Democrats and prompted Raj to ask whether El-Sayed regretted his comments. El-Sayed did not offer a direct apology onstage; instead he emphasized efforts to push for civility and said he had asked supporters to stop mocking Stevens' accent.
He Says He Was Referring To John Fetterman
El-Sayed clarified that the "ogre" remark targeted Senator John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat who was elected with progressive support but whom El-Sayed says has since moved to the right on key issues. Onstage, El-Sayed accused Fetterman of abandoning the values he ran on: "I was referring to a guy named John Fetterman, who's a senator from Pennsylvania who has done terrible things, got elected on a set of values, and is now completely throwing those values in the mud."
Stevens responded with a quip: "Thank you for clarifying that you didn't call me an ogre."
Policy Divide: Israel
The primary has crystallized around sharp differences over U.S. policy toward Israel. Stevens describes herself as a "proud pro-Israel Democrat" and has accepted substantial backing from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). By contrast, El-Sayed has called Israel's campaign in Gaza a "genocide" and criticized continued U.S. arms support for Israel, a stance that has drawn both strong praise from progressives and criticism from more centrist Democrats.
Endorsements And Political Stakes
Last week, Stevens secured the endorsement of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. El-Sayed has consolidated much of the party's left flank and counts endorsements from Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The contest to replace retiring Senator Gary Peters has therefore become a broader proxy fight between establishment moderates and the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.
General Election Watch
The open-seat race is widely viewed as consequential for control of the U.S. Senate. Donald Trump carried Michigan in 2024, making it a top Republican pickup opportunity. Former congressman Mike Rogers — who narrowly lost the 2024 Senate race to Elissa Slotkin — cleared the Republican field early and has positioned himself for the general election; earlier on Monday he shared a stage with Trump in Milford, Michigan, promising to support the president's agenda if elected.
Bottom line: The exchange over the "ogre" remark underscored intraparty tensions and highlighted how national issues and endorsements are shaping what is already one of the cycle's most closely watched Senate primaries.
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