Abdul El-Sayed Spars With Jesse Watters as Michigan Democrat Courts GOP Voters in 2026 Race
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 25
Abdul El-Sayed Spars With Jesse Watters as Michigan Democrat Courts GOP Voters in 2026 Race
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 25
Summary
Monday night’s Fox News appearance put Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed through a combative prime-time interview, with Jesse Watters pressing him on transition surgeries, reparations, Islam and immigration.
El-Sayed used the hostile setting to test a general-election message aimed beyond Democrats, repeatedly pivoting from culture-war questions to gas prices, grocery costs and Trump’s new trade war with Canada.
The sharpest exchange came when Watters asked about transition surgeries for minors; El-Sayed countered by asking whether Watters was circumcised, then said government should not dictate health care procedures without directly endorsing such surgeries.
The interview followed El-Sayed’s early-August primary win and offered an early preview of how the progressive candidate may try to reassure moderates while facing Republican Mike Rogers in a race central to Senate control.