Democratic lawmakers in Michigan largely condemned recent comments from a contender for the state’s Democratic Party chair suggesting his party is “not the Jewish party.”

Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) was the only federal lawmaker to immediately issue a public condemnation regarding last week’s statement from Al Williams, a candidate to be Michigan Democrats’ next leader. Williams declared at an event co-hosted by the Arab American Democratic Caucus that “this is not the Jewish party. This is the Democratic Party,” when asked about his stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, The Detroit News reported. “There are more voices than just Zionists in this party. There are more voices than just Jewish Americans within this party,” Williams said. 

Stevens said on X that the comments were “deeply offensive & should be disqualifying to lead our state’s party.” 

“Jewish Americans are welcome in the Democratic Party. Full stop,” Stevens said. “Comments like these are antisemitic & based in harmful tropes that fail to recognize the broad spectrum of Jewish belief & political engagement.”

In statements to Jewish Insider on Wednesday, Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) also denounced Williams’ statement.  

“These comments are offensive, misleading, and will only spur more dangerous antisemitic rhetoric,” Peters said. “We need a party leader who brings people together to fight for our common values, not someone who stokes hate and division.”

Slotkin said, “We are a big tent party, where all are welcome, and these comments have no place in our politics or the Michigan Democratic Party. Full stop.”

Neither Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer nor the state’s attorney general, Dana Nessel, responded to requests for comment. 

Williams is competing with former state Sen. Curtis Hertel for the chairperson position at the party’s state convention on Feb. 22 in Detroit. Hertel responded to the same question about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by saying, “I know I want the Israeli people and the Palestinian people to have some autonomy and the ability to live their lives as they see fit” and that the Democratic party should consist of a variety of views. Hertel, who unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. House last year, did not immediately respond to an inquiry from JI asking whether he condemned the answer Williams gave. 

Local leaders have scrutinized Williams for his remarks, including Jessica “Decky” Alexander, who is running to be the next chairwoman of the party’s Jewish Caucus, and said the comments were “possibly disqualifying” for Williams and drew on stereotypes. Rima Mohammad, who is Palestinian and one of the founders of The People’s Coalition, also expressed that she found Williams’ comments offensive. 

Rabbi Asher Lopatin, director of community relations at the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor, told JI that Williams’ statements “have no place in any party, let alone the Michigan Democratic Party, which has strong roots in the Jewish community.”

“I do find it gratifying that Mr. Williams’ comments were condemned by both a Jewish voice, Decky Alexander, and by Rima Mohammad, an important voice in the Arab American and Palestinian community,” Lopatin said. “Al Williams’ statement was blatantly antisemitic, and should be condemned by all, no matter what their political opinions are.”