Trump's remarks on Michigan Senate candidate draw backlash from Arab and Muslim leaders
Republican leaders in Michigan dispute claims that the party has turned away Arab and Muslim voters after President Trump labeled Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed a “jihadist.”
President Donald Trump’s recent comments calling Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed a “jihadist” have prompted criticism from Arab and Muslim community leaders in Michigan. In an interview with MS NOW, community organizer Bahbah described the attacks as “astounding,” “unacceptable” and “crossing red lines,” warning they could hurt Republican support among those voters in this cycle and future elections.
Republican officials rejected accusations of Islamophobia. Abby Ronson, a spokesperson for Senate candidate Mike Rogers, said the campaign has reached out to “every single group” and noted that some Muslim voters view El-Sayed as “too extreme.” Ronson added that the campaign’s position is that El-Sayed has “dismissed, not disavowed” the Muslim Brotherhood, referencing a recent town-hall exchange.
State Sen. Jim Runestad, chair of the Michigan Republican Party, said Rogers asked the party not to attack El-Sayed’s faith or mock his name, a request Ronson confirmed. Runestad told MS NOW that “it’s very important that the Republican Party be engaged in the Muslim community,” while noting that some groups decline to meet with Republican candidates, hinting that the rhetoric from Trump and other high-ranking Republicans may be a factor.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee, which has labeled El-Sayed “the most radical Senate candidate in America,” has spent $1.5 million on an advertisement describing him as “a real threat to our national security and our values.” Samantha Cantrell, regional press secretary for the NRSC, said, “Abdul El-Sayed and his family’s ties to designated terrorist groups have raised so many red flags that even the mainstream media can no longer ignore them.”
El-Sayed responded in an interview with ABC News, saying the focus on his name and religion is an attempt to “distract us from the fact that we can’t afford our gas and we can’t afford our groceries.”
Polls indicate a close race, and community leaders warned that a Rogers victory could “legitimize Islamophobia going forward,” while affirming they will continue to advocate for their values in the electoral arena.