Michigan Senate Candidate's Former PAC Spent 13 Percent on Direct Candidate Support

Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed’s former political action committee spent about 13 percent of its funds on direct support for candidates and ballot initiatives, according to campaign finance records reviewed by the Washington Examiner.

Southpaw MI PAC raised roughly $422,806 while operating first as a Michigan state PAC and later as a federal hybrid PAC. Of that total, approximately $56,470 went to direct candidate or ballot initiative support.

The same records show the PAC spent about $268,333, or 63 percent of funds raised, on consultants and related services. Among the largest recipients were Purple Tulip LLC and Bluefish Communications LLC. Michigan corporate records list Purple Tulip as controlled by Tara Terpstra, who received credit in El-Sayed’s 2020 book and later worked on his podcast.

Bluefish Communications was linked to Austin Fisher, who was also credited in the book and served as a podcast producer.

An El-Sayed campaign spokesperson said Southpaw provided candidates with staff time, dialer, and text outreach support valued at tens of thousands of dollars. The spokesperson stated that staff time was segregated from other roles and that the PAC was not designed as a pass-through organization.

The spokesperson added that the state PAC later transferred funds to the federal PAC before both entities were closed. Federal and state rules permit PACs to spend on consultants, compliance, and communications. The PAC’s spending has drawn renewed attention as El-Sayed campaigns for Michigan’s open Senate seat.