Republicans made El-Sayed a top midterm target. The Democrat wants to
talk about Michigan voters
[September 12, 2026]
By JACQUELINE GANUN and JONATHAN J. COOPER
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Republicans are working aggressively to make
Abdul El-Sayed the face of the opposition.
The Democratic Senate nominee from Michigan was a frequent punching bag
during this week's GOP convention, where a steady stream of Republicans
singled him out. They attacked his progressive views, his ties to a
far-left commentator and his Muslim faith, elevating his profile as they
look to paint all Democrats as radical extremists.
Mike Rogers, El-Sayed’s Republican opponent, alleged the Democrat is
being funded by “terrorist groups like the Muslim Brotherhood” but
offered no proof to back up his claim. President Donald Trump called him
an “extremist” and attacked the political views of members of his
family.
Several speakers used his full name, Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed. He
would be the nation's first Muslim senator.
A day after the confab ended, El-Sayed campaigned in East Lansing, a
college town where he's counting on strong support from young voters,
and downtown Lansing, where he spoke in front of a crowd that ranged
from college students to retirees.
“They want to point to me and my name and my faith as if somehow that’s
the problem, but none of those things are what’s raising your gas prices
or making a new home unaffordable,” he told reporters, shifting the
conversation to the economic anxiety that Democrats want voters to be
thinking about when they cast their ballots.
He also criticized the trade war with Canada — to which Michigan’s auto
industry is particularly vulnerable — and wars overseas.
El-Sayed later said he wishes he didn’t have as much of a national
profile.
“At the end of the day, I’m a lot more interested in the future of
Michiganders than the future of a party,” El-Sayed said at Friday's
second event. “I didn’t run because I was interested in having all of
these big national debates.”
Hundreds turn out to see El-Sayed
About 400 students filled an auditorium at Michigan State University’s
student union, some standing along the walls after chairs filled. The
event, billed as a students versus billionaires town hall, turned
students away when the room hit capacity. Many of those shut out stood
outside and booed when the doors were closed.
[to top of second column]
|
Students inside the venue asked questions about healthcare policy,
data centers and affordable housing. The crowd cheered when El-Sayed
talked about taking money out of politics, implementing universal
healthcare and winning his primary against Rep. Haley Stevens
despite her campaign having more cash.
Many of the GOP's attacks focused on comments by Hasan Piker, a
Twitch streamer who campaigned with El-Sayed ahead of the bitter
Democratic primary. In a 2019 stream, Piker said “America deserved
9/11.” He has since apologized. El-Sayed called the comment “dumb"
and has distanced himself from Piker, saying last month that “nobody
speaks for this campaign besides me and my campaign spokespeople.”
Several hundred more people turned out for a second event nearby,
packing into a concert hall in downtown Lansing.
“Progressive candidates are rising up, and this is kind of the
moment for them to bring their platform to the country," 68-year-old
Joseph Fabiano said.
Republicans try to energize the GOP base
Republicans are facing a tough midterm election environment, with
only about a third of Americans approving of Trump’s job
performance. The push to frame Democrats as radicals serves as both
red meat to energize the GOP base and a warning to disaffected Trump
voters considering switching sides or just staying home this
November.
Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota, the No. 3 House Republican, was among
those who called out El-Sayed during the GOP convention, saying he
is an “evil man” who “pals around with people who believe Americans
deserved to be attacked on 9/11.” Rep. Brandon Gill, a Texas
Republican, called El-Sayed “an extremist who sympathized with
terrorists.”
Meanwhile, El-Sayed still faces divisions in his own party after his
bruising primary against Stevens, which drove a wedge between
Democrats with conflicting views on Israel, Piker and progressive
economics.
El-Sayed implicitly confronted the attacks on his background with an
ad that features his white grandparents.
“Where did Abdul El-Sayed come from?” his grandma asks
melodramatically, mimicking the tone of attack ads. “We helped raise
him,” she adds.
All contents © copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
