Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, the first Jewish person elected to the office, said she will not attend the state Democratic Party's nominating convention next month because she expects to face harassment, a decision that has sharpened a debate over antisemitism inside the party. Nessel made the comments during a roundtable with Jewish leaders and community members last week, saying her presence at the convention would not be welcome. «I don't want to get chased around. I don't want to get harassed. I don't want to get yelled and screamed at. I don't want to get booed off the stage, irrespective of what I'm saying,» she said, according to the Michigan Advance. «And I believe that if I go, that is what will happen because it's been happening to me.»
Nessel said party leadership has not adequately responded to her concerns about rising antisemitism in the Democratic Party, despite her reporting that she had been harassed by some members. She said that as a Democrat she could acknowledge that «some things have changed,» and that society should reach a point where «intelligent discourse and debate» can take place without threats.
Jessica Alexander, chair of the Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus and a professor at Eastern Michigan University, said she respects Nessel's decision. Alexander said she does not believe the Democratic Party itself is antisemitic, but she acknowledged a rise in «anti-Jewish» attitudes among dissenters. «At this point, why should she put herself in a circumstance that feels untenable and reactionary?» Alexander said. She added that the anti-AIPAC rhetoric circling many current campaigns acts as a dog whistle for classic anti-Jewish tropes, such as the idea that Jews hold power and money or that rising gas prices are their fault.
Alexander, who said she is not subject to the same public scrutiny as an elected official, plans to attend the convention and expects a large turnout for her caucus. A spokesperson for the Michigan Democratic Party told the Michigan Advance that the party rejects «antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of hateful conduct» and is working to ensure that party-hosted events are safe and secure for all attendees at the August 29 convention.
Nessel disclosed in 2023 that she had been the target of a «heavily armed defendant» who was allegedly plotting attacks against Jewish elected officials after the outbreak of Israel's war in Gaza. She has also clashed with Representative Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, after bringing charges against anti-Israel protesters at the University of Michigan.
Nessel is not the only Michigan Democrat to raise concerns about antisemitism within the party. Mallory McMorrow, a former Senate candidate, confirmed during a debate in May, before she suspended her campaign, that disdain for Jewish people among Democrats is a growing problem. «At the Democratic convention, an attendee yelled an antisemitic slur at my husband, who is Jewish and was walking with my 5-year-old daughter. That is terrifying,» McMorrow said. Some Jewish Democrats have also said they intend to vote for Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers if progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed wins the upcoming Democratic primary.
Nessel's decision comes as Michigan Democrats prepare for an August 4 Senate primary that has been dominated by debate over U.S.-Israel relations and the party's direction. The contest features El-Sayed and Representative Haley Stevens, and the convention later this month is expected to reflect the divisions within the party. The party spokesperson said organizers are focused on maintaining a safe environment, but Nessel's remarks suggest that the broader conflict over Israel policy and antisemitism continues to strain Democratic politics in Michigan.
