Abdul El-Sayed has addressed the Islamophobic attacks he faced during his Michigan Senate campaign. President Donald Trump, JD Vance, and Ted Cruz repeatedly targeted the Democrat over his Muslim faith during the campaign. Two days after his victory over Republican Mike Rogers, El-Sayed discussed the remarks and explained why he refused to let them define his campaign.
During his appearance on ABC’s The View, El-Sayed spoke about the attacks and what they represented. While Vance suggested there was something ‘very, very evil’ about him, Trump called him a “jihadist” and suggested that he should undergo a metal detector screening before entering the Senate.
Reacting to the comments, El-Sayed told the co-hosts, “They weren’t attacking me. They were attacking the idea of an America big enough for me. I didn’t take a bet on my abilities or anything. I took a bet on the goodness of the people of Michigan.” He also criticized politicians for choosing to “debase the politics” instead of debating actual issues.
Abdul El-Sayed challenges Trump to a lie detector test after campaign attacks
El-Sayed also addressed Trump’s comment about the metal detector and responded with a challenge of his own. He said, “I’ll do a metal detector all day because I got nothing to hide. But Donald, if you’re watching, lie detector still on the table.”
The Democrat also explained why he believed Republicans resorted to attacking his faith instead of discussing policy issues. El-Sayed said, “If they had something to say about the price of gas or the price of groceries or the fact that people can’t see a doctor, they would have said it. But they didn’t have anything to say.”
He further described the political strategy as an addiction, explaining that politicians who use divisive remarks often feel pressured to keep defending and repeating them. El-Sayed added, “I wish I could tell you, ‘Oh my God, I’m so surprised.’ But, like I said, I’ve been me my whole life.”
The senator-elect stressed that his name and religion were not responsible for the financial difficulties Americans face. He argued that voters understood this distinction and chose to focus on the issues that affected their lives. He maintained that his campaign’s message about everyday concerns resonated with voters despite the personal attacks.
Abdul El-Sayed’s victory over Mike Rogers made him the first Muslim elected to the United States Senate.
Originally reported on ComingSoon.
