Michigan Senate race escalates as Republicans lean on smears and religion-based attacks
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Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed and Republican candidate JD Vance traded sharp criticism as the contest drew national attention to allegations linking El-Sayed to extremist groups, claims made without evidence.
Michigan’s U.S. Senate race grew more contentious Thursday as Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed responded to remarks from Republican candidate JD Vance that he called him a "weasel" and told him to keep quiet. El-Sayed, speaking to a crowd of more than 1,300 in the Upper Peninsula, rejected the insult and warned that the campaign could become one of the most bitter in recent memory.
Vance, a former Ohio senator, accused El-Sayed of lacking loyalty to the community and suggested voters should punish him at the November ballot. He also repeated claims, echoed by President Trump on social media, that El-Sayed is tied to extremist Muslim organizations, even though no evidence has been presented.
"It's clear – Abdul doesn't love this community, Democrat or Republican," Vance said at a rally in Monroe.
El-Sayed said the attacks are meant to cast doubt on his commitment to America and pointed to his upbringing in Michigan and his work as a public-health official. He stressed that religious belief should not be used to decide whether a candidate is fit for office.
Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana joked that El-Sayed "sleeps in a Bin Laden jersey," while Republican campaign chair Mike Rogers told reporters that the race is not about religion but about ideology and policy.
"You get to pray any way you want, and I passionately believe that. It is about your ideology and how you think," Rogers said.
The campaign has featured increasingly ugly rhetoric, including signs branding El-Sayed a terrorist and accusations of Islamophobia from both sides. Conservative activist groups have spent roughly $119 million on television ads in Michigan, compared with about $87 million by Democratic groups, according to ad-tracking data.
El-Sayed kept up his outreach in traditionally Republican areas, traveling with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and meeting independent voters worried about rising living costs. He also drew support from Democratic figures such as former President Barack Obama and Rep. Ayanna Pressley, who are scheduled to appear at upcoming events.
Republican candidate Mike Rogers highlighted his own efforts to win over Democratic-leaning voters in Detroit, pointing to recent visits to churches and community groups that have historically not hosted Republican candidates.
"Some of those areas in Detroit feel pretty neglected. They haven't had people down and around paying attention to them," Rogers told reporters.
Both campaigns say the race could decide control of the U.S. Senate, making the escalating rhetoric a major focus for national observers.