Vice President JD Vance labeled Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed “very, very evil” during a campaign rally in Sterling Heights on Monday, escalating Republican attacks on the progressive candidate ahead of November’s general election.
“There’s something about Abdul El-Sayed that is very, very evil and on the rise in the United States of America today,” Vance said at the event. “It’s people who see themselves not as citizens of a combination, fighting for every single person, whether they’re Jewish or Christian, whether they’re white or Black or brown, but see themselves as fighting for one group at the expense of others.”
Vance focused much of his attack on El-Sayed’s ties to left-wing Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who campaigned with the Democratic nominee during the August primary. Piker made controversial comments in 2019 saying America deserved the September 11 attacks—remarks he has since said he regrets and should have explained better. “When I see Abdul El-Sayed campaign around this state with somebody who said that America deserved 9/11, what I see is a man who has sympathy and compassion for people who share his religion but have nothing for people who don’t,” Vance said.
Piker returned to controversy last week when he suggested that Jewish Americans who emphasize their connection to Israel invite violence against themselves. “If Jews in America keep putting this idea out there that they are singularly invested in Israel, eventually someone’s going to come around and take action,” Piker said on August 20, according to Forbes. “Not against the state of Israel, mind you, but against American Jews.” Multiple Democratic leaders, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia, condemned the remarks as antisemitic.
El-Sayed won Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary on August 4 with 48.5% of the vote, defeating Representative Haley Stevens. He will face Republican Mike Rogers, a former congressman, in November in a race that will help determine control of the Senate. Current polling shows a tight contest, with El-Sayed leading by margins ranging from one to seven points depending on the survey.
El-Sayed has sought to distance himself from Piker’s comments. In a statement Monday, he said, “antisemitism is a scourge, and we need to address it in all its forms” and stressed that “nobody speaks for this campaign besides me and my campaign spokespeople.” He told Semafor he has “no plans” to campaign with Piker again. Over the weekend, El-Sayed also apologized to Michigan’s Jewish Democratic caucus for his March comments following an attack on Temple Israel, in which he said “hurt people hurt people.” He acknowledged that while he was trying to offer context, “it wasn’t the time for context, and you don’t ever want to trample somebody’s pain.”
Vance also attacked El-Sayed for past comments about Usha Vance, the vice president’s wife, who is Indian American. “I actually think the people of Michigan think it’s kind of weird when you talk about another guy’s wife,” Vance said, telling El-Sayed to “keep my wife’s name the hell out of your mouth because she’s way out of your league.” El-Sayed has referenced Usha Vance multiple times while criticizing the vice president, including in an April podcast and more recently on social media after Vance criticized him over past remarks about Sharia law.
The race has become increasingly personal as both campaigns intensify their messaging. El-Sayed has focused on affordability, health care, and criticism of the Trump administration’s tariffs on Canada, which he argues are harming Michigan workers. Rogers, who has Trump’s endorsement, is seeking to reclaim the Senate seat Democrats won in 2022. The Michigan Senate race remains one of the most closely watched contests nationally, with control of the chamber potentially at stake.
Sources
- The Hill — Vance’s full quote calling El-Sayed “very, very evil” and his criticism of Piker’s 9/11 comments.
- MLive — Details of Vance’s Sterling Heights rally, his comments about Usha Vance, and the personal attacks.
- Forbes — Hasan Piker’s August 20 comments about Jewish Americans and Israel, and El-Sayed’s response.
- AP News — El-Sayed’s primary victory on August 4 with 48.5% of the vote.
- RealClearPolitics — Latest Michigan Senate general election polling showing El-Sayed leading Rogers.
