Michigan Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed Faces Manufactured Outrage Over Comments on Usha Vance
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Progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, running for Senate in Michigan, is facing orchestrated backlash after a social media post referencing Second Lady Usha Vance. Conservative opponents have seized on the post, leveling accusations of sexism and racism, in an apparent attempt to distract from their own history of bigotry.
Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed became the latest target of right-wing outrage on Saturday after posting a comment on social media referencing Second Lady Usha Vance. The post came in response to Republican Senate candidate JD Vance, who had previously launched Islamophobic attacks on El-Sayed over comments about Sharia law. El-Sayed’s post alluded to Vance’s wife’s Indian heritage, highlighting the hypocrisy of conservatives who routinely weaponize identity politics when it suits them.
Predictably, Republican officials and conservative commentators rushed to condemn El-Sayed, labeling his remarks as sexist and racist. Former Florida state representative Ben Graber feigned indignation, asking, "El Sayed is now attacking wives of US leaders? What a guy." Rep. Brandon Gill and failed Michigan gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon piled on, with Dixon warning, "Imagine how he would treat female staffers in the halls of Congress." These attacks ignore the GOP’s own record of misogyny and xenophobia.
El-Sayed’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment, likely refusing to dignify the manufactured controversy. Meanwhile, a Democratic-aligned X account supporting his centrist opponent Mike Rogers opportunistically called the comments "deeply sexist" and urged voters to reject El-Sayed, showing how establishment Democrats are quick to join Republicans in policing progressive voices. Fox News reported that the vice president’s office and a representative for Usha Vance had not responded to inquiries.