Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed has responded to criticism from Vice President JD Vance concerning a remark made about Vance's wife. El-Sayed stated that he would prefer not to discuss spouses but argued that former President Donald Trump initiated such comparisons.
El-Sayed recounted that Trump tweeted a picture of him and his wife shortly after his nomination, highlighting his wife's hijab and suggesting it was un-American. This, according to El-Sayed, set a precedent for personal attacks in the political discourse.
The exchange between Vance and El-Sayed began in August when Vance, speaking at a rally, invoked his grandfather and claimed El-Sayed supported "Sharia law." In response, El-Sayed posted on X, referencing Vance's wife, Usha, and her Indian ancestry.
Vance, speaking at a rally in Michigan, called El-Sayed "very, very evil" and stated that El-Sayed should "keep my wife’s name the hell out of your mouth, because she’s way out of your league."
Speaking to CNN, El-Sayed challenged Vance and Trump to "face down their own hypocrisy." He elaborated that his comment about Vance's wife was intended to highlight a political philosophy that he believes suggests some individuals are more American than others. El-Sayed questioned why Vance would use his deceased grandfather to question his Americanism if not to imply that people like him are not considered "normal."
El-Sayed accused Vance of using "dogwhistles" about diversity while avoiding direct engagement on the topic. He concluded that when Vance is confronted about such tactics, he denies bringing personal matters into the conversation, despite El-Sayed's assertion that both Vance and Trump engage in such behavior regularly.