Ted Cruz launches anti-Muslim smear against Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed
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Senator Ted Cruz used a Detroit-area campaign stop to push a blatantly bigoted attack on Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, falsely insinuating Muslim Brotherhood ties and prompting forceful denials from El-Sayed and his campaign.
Senator Ted Cruz of Texas used a campaign event near Detroit to allege that Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, a claim the candidate has repeatedly rejected. Cruz reached for a demeaning nickname and warned that, if elected, El-Sayed could obtain a security clearance that might somehow endanger Americans — a fearmongering line that echoed the worst kind of anti-Muslim politics.
"I have never been a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, I never will be a member of the Muslim Brotherhood," El-Sayed told Fox News.
El-Sayed’s campaign called the allegations a “bigoted anti-Muslim smear campaign” and said they are meant to distract from real economic issues affecting working families. Campaign spokesperson Cole Wozniak said Cruz has backed policies that have hurt Michigan families and argued that the senator is trying to deflect attention from rising gas and grocery costs.
The controversy stems from statements made by El-Sayed’s half-sister in 2012-13 about their birth mother’s past involvement with the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, as well as El-Sayed’s former leadership of a university Muslim Students’ Association chapter and an op-ed supporting protests against former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Cruz also cited an open letter El-Sayed signed in 2012 supporting then-Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, a figure linked to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Republican nominee Mike Rogers echoed Cruz’s focus on the issue, calling the race “the most important in the country” and asserting that El-Sayed’s alleged ties constitute a threat to national security. Rogers said the Muslim Brotherhood’s ideology conflicts with American values.
El-Sayed responded at a town hall, stating he “absolutely” disavows the Muslim Brotherhood and emphasizing his commitment to the U.S. Constitution regardless of his personal faith. He warned that accusations of “dual loyalties” are unfounded and serve only to inflame prejudice.
The Michigan Senate contest is being closely watched, with both parties intensifying rhetoric as Election Day approaches.