Republican congressional nominee Michael Bouchard Jr. stated that the recent primary victory of progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed for the U.S. Senate in Michigan does not signal a widespread embrace of socialism by the state's voters. Bouchard, the Republican candidate for Michigan's 10th Congressional District, argued that El-Sayed's platform, which he characterized as socialist and aligned with calls to defund the police, is actually dividing the country.
"The fact that that is coming to our streets, that someone says that America deserves something like that, that is ripping America apart block by block," Bouchard told Fox News Digital. "We need to come together, build this country up, and find real solutions together. I'm done with this partisan politics and trying to bring socialism into a country that is not what we were founded on."
El-Sayed secured the Democratic nomination for the Senate in Michigan by a narrow margin, a win Bouchard suggested reflects a division within the Democratic Party rather than a mandate for far-left ideology. Bouchard believes that most Michigan voters are moderate and prioritize practical solutions over partisan politics.
Bouchard, a Bronze Star recipient who served in the Army, drew on his military experience to critique socialism. "When the Berlin wall came down, which way did the people run?" he asked. "Did they run towards a communist Soviet union, or did they run towards freedom in America? Socialism doesn't work. It's been proven time and time again. I've fought all across the world and I've seen what socialism does to a country. We cannot allow that to come here."
Bouchard's campaign will focus on public safety and the economy. He specifically criticized El-Sayed's stance on crime, stating, "Abdul El-Sayed stands for defunding the police. And it's been really interesting to see how my opponent, who's soft on crime, works with El-Sayed when he's trying to tear this country down. I want to build this country up."
In the 10th Congressional District, Bouchard will face Democrat Christina Hines, a former county prosecutor. Bouchard has asserted that Hines also supports "soft on crime policies and a woke agenda that I just don't align with." He emphasized his commitment to supporting victims and ensuring offenders are held accountable, contrasting his approach with what he described as praise for his opponent's leniency towards offenders.
Hines, in response to Bouchard's criticisms, highlighted her career as a prosecutor. "Mike Bouchard Jr has never put a predator behind bars, and he’s never lived in Macomb a day in his life," she stated. "I spent my entire career working with law enforcement to put serial rapists, child predators, murderers, and traffickers in prison. I’m running for Congress to protect the families in my community, and to fight against the corruption that’s rampant in DC."
Fox News Digital reached out to El-Sayed's campaign for comment on Bouchard's remarks.