Rep. Hillary Scholten, a Michigan Democrat, has accused Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed of making "deeply sexist attacks" against female political opponents, including Rep. Haley Stevens and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Scholten's remarks came as Michigan prepares for its Aug. 4 primary election.
During a CNN interview, Scholten stated that El-Sayed's criticisms of his rivals have "a uniquely sexist bent." She cited his remarks about Stevens, saying he claimed she "couldn’t string two sentences together" and was an "empty vessel," rather than engaging with policy disagreements. Scholten, who has endorsed Stevens, characterized these comments as disparaging Stevens' intelligence and personality.
Scholten also pointed to El-Sayed's past rhetoric regarding Gov. Whitmer during his unsuccessful 2018 gubernatorial campaign. Scholten stated that El-Sayed suggested Whitmer was "bought and sold for by her dad’s company," which she interpreted as comparing the governor to property with no independent ideas.
El-Sayed's campaign spokesperson, Roxie Richner, previously pushed back on Scholten's concerns, suggesting that unless the congresswoman had specific accusations, it would be better to "avoid repeating throwaway talking points to push an unfounded narrative."
El-Sayed himself addressed comments about Stevens in a separate CNN interview, acknowledging, "I don’t think it’s kind to make fun of somebody for how they talk or how they show up." He also stated that he does not believe it is kind to make insinuations about someone's character.
Scholten also expressed concern over El-Sayed's decision to campaign with left-wing streamer Hasan Piker, who made a controversial remark in 2019 about "America deserved 9/11." While El-Sayed has distanced himself from the comment, Scholten noted that he did not have to choose to campaign with Piker. "To me, that’s a nonstarter," Scholten said, indicating she could not be associated with such rhetoric.
Scholten warned that embracing candidates like El-Sayed could lead the Democratic Party in an undesirable direction. El-Sayed's campaign has urged supporters to stop making personal attacks against Stevens, with El-Sayed stating, "It’s become impossible to ignore the way that people online make fun of my opponent for things that have nothing to do with her policies or politics. It’s unkind and unhelpful."