Viral Grocery-Store Ad Linked to Michigan Senate Candidate Sparks Controversy

A video depicting a couple in a grocery store discussing “put those eggs back” to set aside money for “killing Palestinians” and criticizing U.S. aid to Israel went viral, amassing roughly 6.5 million views. The clip was shared over a weekend and quickly became associated with Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, prompting accusations that the ad was anti-Semitic.

Newsweek

The advertisement was not created for El-Sayed’s campaign. It originated in the 2024 presidential bid of Cenk Uygur, host of *The Young Turks*. Uygur posted the video, noting that the left-wing political action committee he co-founded, Rebellion PAC, produced it. Portions of the footage were repurposed from an earlier ad Uygur used during his own unsuccessful presidential primary run.

Newsweek

El-Sayed asserted that his campaign had no involvement with the viral ad. Michigan Democratic Representative Haley Stevens, who lost to El-Sayed in the Senate primary, described the video as “fear-mongering about Israel.” Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison also condemned the ad, saying it does not benefit El-Sayed’s campaign and warns it “pour[s] gasoline on those divisions.”

Newsweek

The controversy emerged as the primary race entered its final phase, raising concerns about how the ad might affect Muslim and Jewish voters.

Newsweek

• “Abdul is working hard to bridge divisions and build a diverse, winning coalition,” — Jaime Harrison, national committee chairman “Abdul is working hard to bridge divisions and build a diverse, winning coalition,” — Jaime Harrison, national committee chairman

Newsweek