Abdul El-Sayed's ad quotes Tucker Carlson against Mike Rogers; Haley Stevens and Van Jones ask him to pull it
Abdul El-Sayed's campaign ad shows Tucker Carlson saying he wouldn't vote for Mike Rogers at gunpoint. Haley Stevens and Van Jones asked El-Sayed to pull it, calling Carlson a white nationalist; Keith Boykin said the ad uses Carlson against Rogers.
Case period:
Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
El-Sayed's campaign posted the 60-second ad, titled Red Hat, on October 22, 2026, during his general-election race against Republican Mike Rogers for Michigan's open U.S. Senate seat. In it, El-Sayed lists positions he says he shares with Republican voters, then plays clips of conservative commentators praising him or criticizing Rogers. Carlson's line comes from a September podcast in which he criticized Rogers's support for Israel, according to the Daily Wire (opens in a new tab).
The same report says El-Sayed told CNN in September that he and Carlson agreed on little but did agree about Rogers, and that he had never spoken with Carlson or sought his support.
Stevens raised the ad in an October 30 statement about a planned church appearance with El-Sayed and Rep. Jim Clyburn in Detroit. That day El-Sayed said Stevens seemed intent on relitigating a primary that ended three months earlier, HuffPost reported (opens in a new tab). On November 1, Stevens endorsed Rogers; that decision has its own case.
People in this case
Abdul El-SayedDirectly involved
Tucker CarlsonDirectly involved
Mike RogersDirectly involved
Keith BoykinCommented
Timeline
6 timeline entries on this page. Dates: October 22, 2026 to November 1, 2026
October 2026
El-Sayed campaign posts the Red Hat ad
El-Sayed's campaign posts a 60-second ad pitching him to Republican voters, with clips of conservative commentators that include Tucker Carlson saying he wouldn't vote for Mike Rogers at gunpoint.
[01]Red Hat | Abdul for Senate (El-Sayed campaign ad)
Sixty-second ad posted to Abdul El-Sayed's YouTube channel. El-Sayed lists positions he says he shares with Republican voters, then plays clips of conservative commentators praising him or criticizing Mike Rogers, including Tucker Carlson saying he would not vote for Rogers at gunpoint. El-Sayed approves the message at the end.
Red Hat | Abdul for Senate (El-Sayed campaign ad)Full video (1:00)[02]New El-Sayed ad features Tucker Carlson, far-right podcaster's attack on Mike Rogers
Jewish Insider report describing the El-Sayed ad, its clips of Tucker Carlson, Saagar Enjeti and Fox News hosts, and its pitch to Republican voters.
Van Jones calls on El-Sayed to pull the ad
Jones posts a CNN clip and a written statement saying El-Sayed has not done enough to denounce the ad and that no Democrat should celebrate the words of a white nationalist.
[03]Van Jones: Abdul Should Pull His "Tucker Carlson" Ad
Video posted to Van Jones's YouTube channel with a written description by Jones. The clip shows Jones on CNN saying El-Sayed has not done enough to denounce two ads, one from his campaign featuring Tucker Carlson and one from an outside group. The description calls on candidates to pull ads that elevate Carlson.
Van Jones: Abdul Should Pull His "Tucker Carlson" AdVideo description and full video (0:52)Stevens asks El-Sayed to take down the ad
In a statement about a church appearance with El-Sayed and Rep. Jim Clyburn, Stevens asks El-Sayed to apologize for his remarks tying Israel to Michigan's costs and to take down the Carlson ad.
[04]PollTracker X post with Haley Stevens's October 30 statement on the El-Sayed church event
X post sharing an image of a statement dated October 30, 2026, and credited to Haley Stevens (@HaleyforMi). The statement welcomes an expected condemnation by El-Sayed of a Rebellion PAC ad, asks him to apologize for his own remarks tying Israel to Michigan's costs and asks him to take down his ad featuring Tucker Carlson.
PollTracker X post with Haley Stevens's October 30 statement on the El-Sayed church eventAttached image of the statement[05]HuffPost
HuffPost report on Haley Stevens's October 30 statement, including her request that El-Sayed take down the ad featuring Tucker Carlson, and El-Sayed's statement the same day saying Stevens seemed intent on relitigating the primary.
[06]Dems In Disarray After Abdul El-Sayed Features Tucker Carlson In Campaign Ad
Daily Wire report on Democratic criticism of the El-Sayed ad, including statements by Haley Stevens and Van Jones, and El-Sayed's September comments on Carlson's criticism of Mike Rogers.
El-Sayed says Stevens is relitigating the primary
El-Sayed says Stevens seems intent on relitigating a primary that ended three months ago and urges supporters to focus on beating Rogers.
[07]Abdul El-Sayed's X post with his October 30 statement on Haley Stevens
El-Sayed's X post sharing an image of his statement. It says his campaign is focused on costs and health care, cites the outside spending against him in the primary and says Stevens seems intent on relitigating that primary.
Abdul El-Sayed's X post with his October 30 statement on Haley StevensAttached image of the statement[05]HuffPost
HuffPost report on Haley Stevens's October 30 statement, including her request that El-Sayed take down the ad featuring Tucker Carlson, and El-Sayed's statement the same day saying Stevens seemed intent on relitigating the primary.
Keith Boykin defends the ad
Boykin says the ad uses Carlson against Rogers to reach Republican-leaning voters and that no one is celebrating Carlson.
[08]Keith Boykin: Van Jones Gets It Wrong on Abdul El-Sayed
Video on The Keith Boykin Channel on YouTube. Boykin plays Van Jones's CNN remarks and the El-Sayed ad, then responds point by point and argues the ad uses Carlson's criticism of Mike Rogers to reach Republican-leaning voters.
Keith Boykin: Van Jones Gets It Wrong on Abdul El-SayedFull video (2:04)
November 2026
Stevens endorses Mike Rogers
Two days before the election, Stevens announces that she is endorsing Rogers.
[09]Haley Stevens
Stevens announces support for Rogers and explains her break with El-Sayed.
Haley Stevens announces her endorsement of Mike Rogers · Haley StevensPost caption and video, 00:00-01:38; endorsement at 00:13.24-00:19.88
Claims
Claims separate what was said from what is contested. Follow each source for the original wording and context.
What's disputed
Disputed claim
El-Sayed's campaign ad celebrates Tucker Carlson, whom Van Jones calls a white nationalist.
What is disputed
Keith Boykin says no one is celebrating Carlson: in his view the ad uses Carlson's criticism of Mike Rogers to reach Republican-leaning voters, and quoting a rival's critic is not an endorsement.
Sources (2)
- Van Jones: Abdul Should Pull His "Tucker Carlson" AdVideo description and full video (0:52)
- Keith Boykin: Van Jones Gets It Wrong on Abdul El-SayedFull video (2:04)
Response record
Responses
Choose one response filter, or select All responses to see the full record.
4 responses. Newest first.
Keith BoykinPolitical commentator and author, on his YouTube channelBefore this statement
Boykin played Jones's CNN remarks and the ad, agreed that Carlson is a white nationalist, and said Carlson is one voice among many Fox News personalities in the ad.
"No one is celebrating Tucker Carlson. The ad is using Tucker against Mike Rogers. The message is simple. Even Fox News can't make the case for Mike Rogers."
Defended or excusedResponding to: El-Sayed's campaign ad celebrates Tucker Carlson, whom Van Jones calls a white nationalist.
Full statement and sources
Responding to Van Jones, Boykin says Carlson is one voice among several Fox News personalities in the ad, that quoting a rival's critic is not an endorsement and that the ad is aimed at undecided Republican-leaning voters.
After the statement
He ended by asking Jones not to make the case for Rogers himself.
Keith Boykin: Van Jones Gets It Wrong on Abdul El-SayedFull video (2:04)Why this label?
The reference point is the El-Sayed campaign ad that includes Tucker Carlson saying he wouldn't vote for Mike Rogers at gunpoint. Boykin says the ad uses Carlson's line against Rogers rather than celebrating Carlson and that he would use such a line himself, which defends the ad.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Ryan GrimJournalist and political commentator, on XBefore this statement
Grim wrote that Stevens now says she is asking on behalf of the Black community that El-Sayed take down his ad that includes Carlson saying he wouldn't vote for Rogers at gunpoint.
"Unclear who appointed Stevens to speak on behalf of the Black community but ok."
Challenged the characterizationCase context: Abdul El-Sayed's ad quotes Tucker Carlson against Mike Rogers; Haley Stevens and Van Jones ask him to pull it
Full statement and sources
Grim notes that Stevens says she is asking on behalf of the Black community that El-Sayed take down the ad, questions who appointed her to speak for that community and notes that she agreed to rally with El-Sayed and Clyburn.
After the statement
He added that this came as Stevens agreed to rally with El-Sayed and Rep. Jim Clyburn.
PollTracker X post with Haley Stevens's October 30 statement on the El-Sayed church eventAttached image of the statementWhy this label?
The reference point is the El-Sayed campaign ad that includes Tucker Carlson saying he wouldn't vote for Mike Rogers at gunpoint. Grim does not assess the ad itself; he disputes Stevens's framing of her objection as made on behalf of the Black community, which challenges how the ad's critics characterize it.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Haley StevensU.S. representative from Michigan and El-Sayed's opponent in the Democratic Senate primaryBefore this statement
In the same statement, Stevens said El-Sayed had made the argument of a Rebellion PAC ad in his own words and that she expected him to apologize for those statements as well.
"And it is my hope and expectation that, out of the same respect for Michigan's Black community, he will take down his own advertisement featuring white Christian nationalist Tucker Carlson, an insult to the congregation that will welcome us on Sunday."
CondemnedCase context: Abdul El-Sayed's ad quotes Tucker Carlson against Mike Rogers; Haley Stevens and Van Jones ask him to pull it
Full statement and sources
In a statement about appearing with El-Sayed and Rep. Jim Clyburn at a Detroit church, Stevens asks El-Sayed to take down the ad, calling Carlson a white Christian nationalist and the ad an insult to the congregation.
After the statement
She closed by saying she said this with no race to run and nothing to gain.
PollTracker X post with Haley Stevens's October 30 statement on the El-Sayed church eventAttached image of the statementWhy this label?
The reference point is the El-Sayed campaign ad that includes Tucker Carlson saying he wouldn't vote for Mike Rogers at gunpoint. Stevens calls the ad an insult to the Black congregation hosting the event and asks El-Sayed to take it down, which condemns it.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Van JonesCNN political commentator, on his YouTube channelBefore this statement
Jones wrote that El-Sayed's campaign had put out its own ad featuring Carlson, whom he described as an anti-Black bigot who also traffics in anti-Jewish stereotypes.
"No Democrat should ever celebrate the words of a white nationalist who actively undermines the safety of Black people and Jewish people."
CondemnedResponding to: El-Sayed's campaign ad celebrates Tucker Carlson, whom Van Jones calls a white nationalist.
Full statement and sources
In a video description on his YouTube channel, Jones calls Carlson an anti-Black bigot, says including him in a Democratic ad in Michigan is baffling and calls on candidates to pull ads that elevate him.
After the statement
He added that, given the importance of Black and Jewish Democrats in Michigan, including Carlson in any Democratic ad there was baffling. In the CNN clip in the video, he said El-Sayed needed to denounce the ad.
Van Jones: Abdul Should Pull His "Tucker Carlson" AdVideo description and full video (0:52)Why this label?
The reference point is the El-Sayed campaign ad that includes Tucker Carlson saying he wouldn't vote for Mike Rogers at gunpoint. Jones calls the ad a celebration of a white nationalist and says it should come down, which condemns it.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Sources
(10)
Original video
Red Hat | Abdul for Senate (El-Sayed campaign ad)
About this source
Sixty-second ad posted to Abdul El-Sayed's YouTube channel. El-Sayed lists positions he says he shares with Republican voters, then plays clips of conservative commentators praising him or criticizing Mike Rogers, including Tucker Carlson saying he would not vote for Rogers at gunpoint. El-Sayed approves the message at the end.
- Author
- Abdul El-Sayed for Senate
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Abdul El-Sayed's X post with his October 30 statement on Haley Stevens
About this source
El-Sayed's X post sharing an image of his statement. It says his campaign is focused on costs and health care, cites the outside spending against him in the primary and says Stevens seems intent on relitigating that primary.
- Author
- Abdul El-Sayed
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
New El-Sayed ad features Tucker Carlson, far-right podcaster's attack on Mike Rogers
Relevant passage: Full article
About this source
Jewish Insider report describing the El-Sayed ad, its clips of Tucker Carlson, Saagar Enjeti and Fox News hosts, and its pitch to Republican voters.
- Author
- Josh Kraushaar
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Dems In Disarray After Abdul El-Sayed Features Tucker Carlson In Campaign Ad
Relevant passage: Full article
About this source
Daily Wire report on Democratic criticism of the El-Sayed ad, including statements by Haley Stevens and Van Jones, and El-Sayed's September comments on Carlson's criticism of Mike Rogers.
- Author
- Drew Berkemeyer
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Abdul El-Sayed Chides Haley Stevens For Relitigating A Primary That Ended Three Months Ago Among Continued Infighting
Relevant passage: Full article
About this source
HuffPost report on Haley Stevens's October 30 statement, including her request that El-Sayed take down the ad featuring Tucker Carlson, and El-Sayed's statement the same day saying Stevens seemed intent on relitigating the primary.
- Author
- Brittany Shepherd
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Ryan Grim X post on Haley Stevens's request about the Tucker Carlson ad
About this source
Ryan Grim quote-posts a PollTracker post about Haley Stevens's statement and comments on her request that El-Sayed take down the ad.
- Author
- Ryan Grim
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
PollTracker X post with Haley Stevens's October 30 statement on the El-Sayed church event
About this source
X post sharing an image of a statement dated October 30, 2026, and credited to Haley Stevens (@HaleyforMi). The statement welcomes an expected condemnation by El-Sayed of a Rebellion PAC ad, asks him to apologize for his own remarks tying Israel to Michigan's costs and asks him to take down his ad featuring Tucker Carlson.
- Author
- PollTracker
- Published
- Accessed
Original video
Keith Boykin: Van Jones Gets It Wrong on Abdul El-Sayed
About this source
Video on The Keith Boykin Channel on YouTube. Boykin plays Van Jones's CNN remarks and the El-Sayed ad, then responds point by point and argues the ad uses Carlson's criticism of Mike Rogers to reach Republican-leaning voters.
- Author
- Keith Boykin
- Published
- Accessed
Original video
Van Jones: Abdul Should Pull His "Tucker Carlson" Ad
About this source
Video posted to Van Jones's YouTube channel with a written description by Jones. The clip shows Jones on CNN saying El-Sayed has not done enough to denounce two ads, one from his campaign featuring Tucker Carlson and one from an outside group. The description calls on candidates to pull ads that elevate Carlson.
- Author
- Van Jones
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Haley Stevens announces her endorsement of Mike Rogers
Rep. Haley Stevens announces that she is endorsing Mike Rogers for the U.S. Senate, in a video posted to X on Nov. 1, 2026.
DI added its logo in the corner.
Video: Haley Stevens (@HaleyforMI on X). Excerpt used for news reporting and commentary
Watch the full original video (opens in a new tab) (relevant passage: Post caption and video, 00:00-01:38; endorsement at 00:13.24-00:19.88)
About this source
Stevens announces support for Rogers and explains her break with El-Sayed.
- Published
- Accessed
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- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Abdul El-Sayed's ad quotes Tucker Carlson against Mike Rogers; Haley Stevens and Van Jones ask him to pull it
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/cases/el-sayed-tucker-carlson-ad
The Dispute Index. "Abdul El-Sayed's ad quotes Tucker Carlson against Mike Rogers; Haley Stevens and Van Jones ask him to pull it". First published: 2026-11-03. Last updated: 2026-11-03. https://disputeindex.com/cases/el-sayed-tucker-carlson-ad