Abdul El-Sayed and Mike Rogers Clash Over Muslim Brotherhood Ties in Tense Michigan Senate Debate
The Michigan Senate race tightened as Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed forcefully responded to Republican Mike Rogers' accusations of ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Sparks flew in the final Michigan U.S. Senate debate Wednesday night as Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed and Republican opponent Mike Rogers clashed over accusations of ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Rogers repeatedly attacked El-Sayed, stating that the Democratic candidate has connections to the Muslim Brotherhood, an organization that has been linked to terror groups like Hamas. The U.S. Treasury and State Department designated branches of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organizations earlier this year under the Trump administration. El-Sayed, if elected, would become the nation's first Muslim senator.
"He keeps raising this question about this association with the organization," El-Sayed responded to Rogers. "It's really quite beneath you."
During one particularly tense exchange, Rogers questioned El-Sayed's allegiance, asking, "Are you for America, or are you for these terrorist groups overseas?" El-Sayed countered that it was "beneath" Rogers to question his loyalty and accused the Republican of being "bought-off" and a "sock puppet" for the president.
Rogers also challenged El-Sayed's stance on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), calling it the "terrorist enforcement arm of Iran." Rogers criticized El-Sayed for not directly condemning the IRGC when asked by a student at a September town hall and for not believing Iran is more dangerous than Israel.
El-Sayed has previously stated that he supports freedom, democracy, and the people of Iran, asserting that political change should originate from within Iran rather than through external military intervention or specific individual condemnations. He also confirmed to Fox News earlier this month that a member of his family was previously on a federal terror watch list, an allegation he had previously denied. El-Sayed defended his sister-in-law, Mariam Jukaku, who was a plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging her alleged inclusion on the federal terrorist watchlist during the Obama administration. El-Sayed stated Jukaku "did nothing wrong" and successfully challenged her treatment, while blaming policies backed by Rogers.
The race between El-Sayed and Rogers is considered one of the few true toss-up contests in the upcoming midterm elections.
