Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed engaged in a tense exchange with Sky News US correspondent James Matthews on election day, accusing the reporter of following him and stating he did not care about his questions because the journalist could not vote in the state.
The confrontation occurred Tuesday as El-Sayed faced Republican Mike Rogers in a closely watched race for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Democrat Gary Peters.
During the exchange, El-Sayed, 41, asked Matthews if he was registered to vote in Michigan. When Matthews confirmed he was not, El-Sayed responded, "Then why would I care to have a conversation with you?"
Matthews explained he was covering an election with broader implications, telling El-Sayed, "the result matters to the world." However, the candidate was dismissive. "You know how many votes I want to get into the UK? Zero," El-Sayed stated. "I do not care what you think or the questions you ask."
At one point, El-Sayed placed both hands on Matthews' shoulders and demanded, "I'm asking you to stop chasing me around," before walking away. The encounter was captured on camera and shared by Sky News.
The race is considered significant as Democrats aim to regain control of the Senate, with Michigan being a key state.
The election day incident followed a development two days prior when El-Sayed's former Democratic primary opponent, Congresswoman Haley Stevens, endorsed Rogers. Stevens' decision came after she was excluded from a planned unity event with El-Sayed and appeared alongside Rogers. Her endorsement drew criticism from Democratic leaders, and her chief of staff resigned following the announcement. The Michigan Democratic Party subsequently expelled Stevens from the party.