Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed is facing criticism for his social media tribute to country music superstar Dolly Parton, following Parton's death at age 80. Critics accused El-Sayed of politicizing Parton's passing and exploiting her death for political gain.
Shortly after Parton's death was announced, El-Sayed posted on X, formerly Twitter, stating, "Dolly Parton used her gift for music to highlight the challenges of poverty, inequality, and struggle in ways that uplifted and inspired working people." He also included lyrics from Parton's song "Coat of Many Colors."
El-Sayed's post was met with significant backlash, with many users accusing him of injecting a political message into a tribute for the beloved entertainer. The post was described as being "ratioed" on social media, meaning it received a disproportionately high number of negative comments and quote tweets compared to positive responses.
Commentators from various media outlets and social media users voiced their disapproval. Twitchy Managing Editor Sam Janney posted on X, "Leave it to you to exploit her death for political gain." Washington Free Beacon reporter Chuck Ross commented, "I didn’t think anyone would actually politicize Dolly Parton’s death, but here we are." Other users called the tribute "pandering" and criticized El-Sayed for what they perceived as a disingenuous attempt to connect with working-class voters.
Some critics also referenced El-Sayed's past statements on Sharia law, with one user writing, "Your religious laws would have had her covered from head to toe and restricted her from playing music or expressing herself publicly." El-Sayed has previously stated that he follows Sharia in his personal religious life.
Dolly Parton, a Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, and philanthropist, died after a brief battle with cancer. Her career spanned over six decades, producing hits such as "Jolene," "9 to 5," and "I Will Always Love You." Beyond her music, Parton was known for her charitable work, including the Dollywood Foundation and the Imagination Library, and for developing the Dollywood theme park in Tennessee.