Ted Cruz accuses Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed of Muslim Brotherhood ties
Senator Ted Cruz accused Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed of Muslim Brotherhood ties and called him a “jihadist leprechaun” during a campaign stop in Michigan. The remarks followed a series of attacks on El-Sayed by Republican figures. President Donald Trump had earlier labeled the candidate a Muslim Brotherhood affiliate, a national-security threat and even compared him to the September 11 hijackers, prompting criticism from Arab-American groups. El-Sayed repeatedly rejected the accusations, telling a town-hall audience and a televised debate that he has no ties to the group and that his allegiance is to the U.
S. Constitution. A heckler identified as former Josh Hawley aide Thomas Teepell had challenged him on the issue, and a $250,000 influencer campaign funded by the nonprofit America Next was reported to target El-Sayed.