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Posted on 08/06/2026 12:06:14 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Pux Cider Taphouse says it wasn't told Rep. Haley Stevens would attend a 'private women's Dem event' and will donate proceeds to the Grand Rapids Pride Center.
⚡ The Bottom Line
The incident underscores how the Israel debate has become central in Democratic primaries, with AIPAC's spending and candidate positions on Gaza drawing sharp divides within the party. Michigan Democrats headed to the polls one day after the bar event; El-Sayed's polling lead suggested a close contest heading into Election Day, and the results will show whether those dynamics translated into vo...
Read full analysis ↓
A bar in Grand Rapids, Michigan, that describes itself as "queer friendly" and advocates "for a free Palestine" apologized after learning it had hosted an event for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI), saying organizers never informed her she would attend.
Pux Cider Taphouse said in a statement posted to Instagram that it agreed to host what organizers described as a "private women's Dem event" and was never told Stevens would be connected to it. "We are heartbroken as we pride ourselves on being not only a queer friendly space but also have advocated and continue to call for a free Palestine," the bar said. "We DO NOT endorse Haley Stevens."
What the Right Is Saying
Stevens has consistently backed Israel's right to defend itself and maintained support for the U.S.-Israel alliance — a position that aligns with longstanding bipartisan backing for the relationship and has drawn substantial financial support from AIPAC, which historically backs candidates in both parties. Her campaign represents the more moderate wing of the Democratic primary field on foreign policy.
The episode also illustrates how Israel policy is shaping the Senate race: Stevens' supporters frame her stance as consistent support for a key U.S. ally, while El-Sayed's backers cast the contest partly around opposition to AIPAC's influence in Democratic primaries and over U.S. military aid to Israel.
What the Left Is Saying
Stevens has drawn criticism from some progressives over the nearly $30 million that AIPAC, the pro-Israel advocacy group, and affiliated political organizations have invested in backing her campaign. Her primary opponent, former Wayne County Health Director Abdul El-Sayed — endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) — has accused Israel of committing "genocide" in Gaza and called for the United States to cut off military aid to the country.
The bar said it would "be more vigilant in requesting specific details for private events in the future" and announced it "will be donating the proceeds tonight to the Grand Rapids Pride Center." The taphouse is located next door to the Kent County Democratic Party headquarters, and the event took place one day before Michigan Democrats headed to the polls in the party's U.S. Senate primary.
What the Numbers Show
An Emerson College Polling survey released ahead of the primary found El-Sayed leading Stevens 54% to 39%. "There is a clear age divide in the Democratic Primary: voters under 50 break for El-Sayed by 42 percentage points, 67% to 25%, and that gap tightens among voters in their 50s to a 12-point lead, and voters over 60 flip to Stevens by a 14-point margin, 53% to 39%," said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling.
The Bottom Line
The incident underscores how the Israel debate has become central in Democratic primaries, with AIPAC's spending and candidate positions on Gaza drawing sharp divides within the party. Michigan Democrats headed to the polls one day after the bar event; El-Sayed's polling lead suggested a close contest heading into Election Day, and the results will show whether those dynamics translated into votes.
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And I thought liberal self-hating Jews voting for Mamdani were preposterous.
These people are almost more convoluted than an Islamic gay communist dope fiend in a false marriage with a hermaphrodite. Not that such a twisted creature would actually exist.
LOL
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