Senator John Fetterman, D-Pa., has given Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdulrahman El-Sayed a new nickname, "Pontiac Platner," following remarks El-Sayed made about Fetterman. El-Sayed, who has been criticized for his far-left policy positions, reportedly referred to Fetterman as an "ogre" and suggested his head should be placed "on a pike."
Fetterman, responding in an interview, linked El-Sayed to Graham Platner, a former Senate candidate who withdrew from the race amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Fetterman also accused El-Sayed of heading the party's "pro-Hamas wing."
El-Sayed's remarks, reportedly made on a Zoom call with donors, targeted those who have criticized his progressive platform. He specifically called out Fetterman, stating, "I have no problem with that -- I'm looking forward to it," referring to a potential primary challenge. El-Sayed added, "Ideally, you put one ogre on a pike, and then everyone else gets the message, and all of a sudden starts to sound a lot different."
Fetterman alluded to El-Sayed's comments as the latest instance of him being compared to the fictional character Shrek, an ogre. "Politically, some of the things that he said or done are unacceptable to me. I'm not really sure what I've really done or voted for that that has offended the little guy so much," Fetterman stated.
He further suggested that Democrats should "police your own ranks," warning against allowing individuals aligned with the "Bernie Sanders" wing of the party, which he linked to the "Platner disaster," to gain influence.
El-Sayed and Platner share several policy stances, including support for Medicare for All, anti-corporate housing measures, and increased taxes on the wealthy. While El-Sayed has stated he is not a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and does not identify as a socialist, he has a history of speaking at DSA events. Between 2017 and 2020, El-Sayed attended and spoke at six DSA events.
El-Sayed has previously distanced himself from the DSA and the socialist label, telling The Wall Street Journal, "I'm not technically or practically DSA." In a CNN interview, he said, "I am not somebody who is a socialist. I believe in capitalism, I just believe that capitalism has to be regulated."