Republicans Target Michigan Winner Abdul El-Sayed With Islamophobic Attacks After 1 Primary Victory
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 11
Republicans Target Michigan Winner Abdul El-Sayed With Islamophobic Attacks After 1 Primary Victory
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 11
Summary
Days after Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, Republican leaders escalated false and Islamophobic attacks, making his religion and identity a central line of attack for the fall campaign.
Tommy Tuberville called him a “terrorist,” Nancy Mace said “every single Muslim” in public office is a threat, and Trump said “jihadists” were being elected “all over the place.”
El-Sayed has pushed back directly, saying his name is not responsible for high gas prices, war or grocery costs, while few Republican officials have publicly tried to curb the rhetoric.
More than 230 Muslim officials now hold elected office in the U.S., according to CAIR, including a record 4 in Congress, and Michigan primaries last week also lifted several Arab American candidates.