El Sayed denies that Schumer PAC money will influence him in Washington

Michigan Democratic Senate hopeful Abdul el Sayed rejected the notion Monday that millions of dollars from party leaders to help him defeat Republican rival Mike Rogers was hypocritical to his campaign pledge to get big money out of politics or that he’d be influenced by the funds if elected.The Senate Majority PAC, the super PAC aligned with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), has pledged to spend $30 million on el Sayed’s behalf in an effort to keep the open seat from which Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) is retiring blue. Recommended Stories “They won’t,” el Sayed said on Fox News, responding to host Martha MacCallum that the special interests and corporations who fund such political action committees could seek to collect on their investment once he’s elected. “They won’t, because I’ve been very, very clear that I am not interested in doing the bidding of corporations. I will not sit down with a corporate lobbyist. And if they ever say, ‘Well, we got you elected,’ I’ll be like, ‘Oh, you mean the $70 million you spent against me in my primary? Yeah, that’s not the case.’” Collage of Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate from Michigan Abdul el Sayed, left, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). (AP Photos) El Sayed was referencing the tens of millions of dollars that outside groups and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee spent in his primary to boost Democratic opponent Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI). The battleground race’s general election between el Sayed and Rogers is a virtual toss-up, one of several neck-and-neck contests across the Senate map that could influence whether Republicans maintain the majority. It’s a must-win seat for Democrats to keep, if they’re to flip the chamber.ABDUL EL SAYED HAS STABILIZED HIS MICHIGAN SENATE CAMPAIGN. CAN THE DEMOCRAT HOLD THE GAINS?El Sayed has accepted the Schumer-linked money despite spurning the party leader, saying that he would not support him for another leadership term. The candidate has also faced additional scrutiny for hosting high-dollar campaign fundraisers at events in California and New York, including with billionaire Democratic donor George Soros.“When individuals want to give to my campaign, I welcome their support,” el Sayed said. “You know what I don’t do? I don’t call corporations. I don’t call AIPAC.”