Abdul El-Sayed

Abdulrahman Mohamed El‑Sayed is the 2026 Democrat nominee for an open U.S. Senate seat in Michigan, a swing state that Donald Trump won in the 2024 presidential election. If elected, El-Sayed will become the first practicing Muslim U.S. Senator, and could become an outspoken critic of his own party's leadership in that chamber.

El-Sayed's poll numbers predicted he would win the primary by a wider margin than the tallied votes, suggesting that some Democrat voters lied to pollsters in saying they would vote for him and then did not do so. On the even of Election Day, polling shows him with a 3.5% lead over his Republican opponent Mike Rogers.

Michigan hosts the largest and densest concentration of Arab and Muslim Americans in the United States, anchored primarily in Metro Detroit's Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties. Key focal points of this community include Dearborn, the first Arab-majority city in the U.S., and major institutions like the Islamic Center of America.

The Arab-Muslim population rallied behind El Sayed, as have progressives including Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT).

“You may not hate Muslims, but Muslims hate you,” Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed[2]

Abdul El-Sayed argues that boys should be allowed in girls’ locker rooms "because they are going to find out about it on the internet anyway."

El-Sayed previously lost the 2018 Democratic primary for governor to Whitmer.

He rose to prominence as Detroit’s health officer, later led Wayne County’s health department. A fitness buff, he can bench press 315 pounds. He uses his workouts and social media to connect well with Gen Z voters.

After Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) sharply attacked progressive (ProgRacist) candidate Graham Platner and generally opposed, often with vitriol, progressive principles, El-Sayed said in a leaked recording of a call with donors:

“

If I win … well y’all came at me so now I get to come at you, and you know, primarying people like John Fetterman, I have no problem to do that. Ideally you put one ogre on a pike and then everyone else gets the message and all of a sudden starts to sound a lot different.

”

When subsequently asked about his statement during a political debate, El-Sayed did not retract or apologize for it.

In Oct 2026, El-Sayed became visibly angry when asked about his family ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, of which his sister asserted their mother was a member.

After propagandist, radical liberal Kristen Welker of NBC fawned over El-Sayed and simply moved on when he briefly denied any connection to the MB, Tom Llamas, from the same network, grilled him about it. El-Sayed scoffed before answering nervously.

Jesse Watters:

“

So Welker on Meet the Press Sunday was like, "Let's clear the air. Are you guys Muslim Brotherhood or not?" And he goes, "We're not." She goes, "Let's move on." And I'm watching it. You know how much I watch the Sunday shows. I'm screaming at the television, "We know that the sister said this, Kristen." So what happened? Tom Llamas, Nightly News guy, he goes there. Makes her look dumb. Makes her like she didn't do her research makes her look unprepared and confronts him. I like that it was combative. He's talking about your mother. It's awkward. Your mother is Muslim Brotherhood. It's not hearsay. Your sister is on the record. But to be fair to him, the mom didn't raise him. They split up when he was 3. He was raised by his stepmom. So he's like Muslim Little Brotherhood. It's not all there, but when you add that to the fact that he backs Sharia law and that his campaign is funded by Islamic groups that are unindicted co-conspirators, and he's tight with Piker, he has got a house in the Middle East, and he adores Tariq Ramadan, the grandson of the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood who is in prison for rape in France. Would Abdul pass a background check? Maybe, maybe not. I'm leaning maybe not.

”

Trump called El-Sayed 'a Muslim Brotherhood guy' and that 'he hates our country.'

Kid Rock warned against Abdul El-Sayed, compared him to Islamists 911 attackers and Fort Hood shooter jihadists, drawing attention to El Sayed's stands. Trump reposted Kid Rock’s warnings of religious ‘civil war’: ‘El-Sayed’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Pressed about Muslim Brotherhood if he condemns it, hypocritical El Sayed implied he is offended about questioning dual-loyalty, that, after he accused others of dual loyalty.

“

Look who is talkin'! El-Sayed’s hypocrisy is hard to ignore: after accusing Haley Stevens of dual loyalty over her support for Israel, and bashing AIPAC, he suddenly (Oct/2026) becomes defensive when asked about his own views on the Muslim Brotherhood. If he believes politicians should be held accountable for their affiliations, loyalties, and political connections, that standard must apply equally to everyone—including himself. You cannot demand transparency and accountability from others while treating legitimate questions about yourself as off-limits. That is not principled scrutiny; it is a double standard. Typical el Sayed. But it's far worse, because the Muslim Brotherhood questions are very concerning, given Sharia-fanatic Islamist El-Sayed Palestine first. As some noted, he cares more about Gaza than Michigan. Not to mention his vile rationalization response when an Islamic Hezbollah inspired Arab immigrant targeted 140 toddlers in his State March 12, 2026.

”

Charges of racism

JD Vance tore Into 'psychopath' Abdul El-Sayed, accusing him of 'Anti-White racial hate.' Elon Musk said El-Sayed hates White people.

It was noted: His campaign attracts support from people motivated primarily by opposition to Donald Trump.

- Some of his supporters display what the hosts characterize as anti-white rhetoric.

- His political positions and associations are alienating more moderate Democrats.

- Questions surrounding his family's alleged connections and past statements have not been adequately addressed. Especially involving his sister's alleged social-media expression of support for the Muslim Brotherhood.

El-Sayed should answer legitimate questions about these matters rather than dismissing them.

Federal Indictment Exposes Alleged Antisemitic Campaign of Terror Targeting Michigan’s Jewish Community

In Nov, 2026, 12 "pro-Palestinian" activists have been federally indicted for an alleged campaign of antisemitic intimidation and threats targeting Michigan’s Jewish community and University of Michigan officials.

Key points:

- Former political campaign employee implicated: Mariam Odeh, 24, previously worked for approximately two weeks on Abdul El-Sayed’s 2024 Michigan Senate campaign, earning nearly $750. The campaign confirmed her brief employment.

- 12 people indicted: Odeh was among eight initially indicted. Federal prosecutors subsequently added four more defendants.

- Alleged acts of intimidation and violence: Prosecutors say the group:

- Vandalized university board members’ homes. - Placed fake corpses on homeowners’ lawns. - Spray-painted anti-Israel slogans outside the home of the university's former president. - Smashed windows and threw jars containing noxious chemicals into family homes. - Posted videos of some attacks with the threatening message, "You cannot hide."

- Corporate vandalism: Odeh was also allegedly involved in a 2024 incident at a Rolls-Royce Solutions America facility in Detroit, where activists reportedly padlocked doors and painted pro-Palestinian and pro-intifada slogans.

- Federal charges: Odeh faces a charge of conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate and foreign commerce, carrying a potential maximum sentence of five years.

- Political connection: The article highlights Odeh's former employment with Abdul El-Sayed's Senate campaign. It does not allege that El-Sayed participated in or knew about the alleged criminal activities.

The case involves serious allegations of an organized campaign of intimidation against Jewish community members and individuals associated with the University of Michigan's connections to Israel. The indictment also creates a political complication for Abdul El-Sayed because one of the accused briefly worked on his Senate campaign.

Primary controversies surrounding El-Sayed

The Muslim Brotherhood.

Reported in Oct 2026

“

Biological mom Fatten Elkomy, 66, a psychiatric nurse at New Horizons Community Support Services in Columbia, MO, was born in Alexandria, Egypt, and previously worked for the Islamic American Relief Agency — a designated terrorist organization — according to 2010 federal court documents naming her. While in Egypt in the 1970s, she was an activist with the Muslim Brotherhood — a terror-designated Islamist political movement seeking to establish sharia rule in Muslim-majority countries — according to a social media post from her own daughter, Eman Abdelhadi, El-Sayed’s half-sister.

”

Despite El Sayed's best efforts to hide her from his campaign, he remains close to his terror-linked mother.

Troubling: El-Sayed signed a letter urging then Egyptian President Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamad Morsi to purge the media and police}}

Agaimst mating non-Arabs

Racist Arab Supremacist El-Sayed against Arab women mating non-Arabs, question of blood, genes. Abdul El-Sayed slammed for ‘racist’ Columbia research paper he wrote concluding Arab women should mate with their own.

Mosque opening alongside Holocaust-Denier and provides Oct 7 massacres radical Imam.

In July 2026, it was reported that Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed appeared alongside al-Sahlani at the June 2026 opening of the Islamic Institute of America's new mosque. The report also noted El-Sayed's congratulations to imam Hassan al-Qazwini and criticism of Israel during his remarks. Al-Sahlani had previously made statements questioning the reported Holocaust death toll and praising Hamas's October 7 attack.

El-Sayed’s mosque appearance and deleted 9/11 tweets.

Ahead of the 9/11 25th anniversary, it was reported that El-Sayed had deleted two 2020 posts referencing the September 11 attacks. One compared the nearly 3,000 deaths on September 11 from Islamic jihad with COVID-19 deaths.

Temple Israel attack on toddlers

On the Arab immigrant, Ayman Mohamad Ghazali Hezbollah-linked, (brother was Hezbollah commander, and he himself was Hezbollah inspired) targeting some 140 toddlers in the 2026 Temple Israel attack, El Sayed, outrageously, linked the heinous crime to Israeli (anti-terror) action (against Hezbollah).

Accusations of Sexism and Disrespect Toward Women Opponents portrayed El-Sayed as holding deep-seated prejudice against women.

• The Allegations: Attack mailers and commercials pointed to his sharp-witted public takedowns of high-profile women—including calling his primary opponent Haley Stevens "the least capable candidate in America" and criticizing initiatives spearheaded by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Michelle Obama. Critics also circulated a gender discrimination lawsuit filed against a former employer of his.

Super PACs, Hypocrisy, and Incitement El-Sayed received large donations, including from an Arab super PAC, while portraying himself as being against outside influences and other lobbies. El-Sayed, as part of his overall Israelophobic obsession, repeatedly attacked AIPAC, almost as a ritual.

• The Backlash: Opponents accused him of using "populist demagoguery" and dog whistles regarding "shadowy cabals of billionaire conspirators." Representative Stevens publicly accused him of wanting to "blame all of his problems on Jewish Americans."

Hamas-linked CAIR Report: "Abdul El-Sayed took over $115K from members of alleged Hamas-linked group." El-Sayed, who has made getting “money out of politics” a central campaign rallying cry, has accepted donations from at least 41 individuals who either work for CAIR, formerly worked for CAIR, or have served in leadership positions with the organization."

Urging silence on genocidal Ali Khamenei’s death.

Leaked audio reveals Michigan Dem urged silence on Khamenei’s death because of ‘sad’ voters. Abdul El Sayed was telling campaign staffers he wanted to avoid taking a position on the death of late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei because many voters were distraught over it. “There are a lot of people in Dearborn who are sad” about Khamenei’s death, so he’d pivot straight to the “pedophile president” instead.

Hundreds cheer for genoLIE at Piker - El Sayed rally. Because it's not based on facts. It's a vibe, a cheer

Campaigning with "America Deserved 9/11" Islamo-socialist (pro-genocidal Hamas and Mao Zedong) Hasan Piker

In April 2026, El-Sayed drew intense "friendly fire" from establishment Democrats and state senators for holding major campus campaign rallies alongside controversial left-wing streaming influencer Hasan Piker. Critics condemned Piker's commentary on authoritarian regimes.

Father's group & Saddam Hussein

El Sayed's father Mohammed sits on the board of an Islamic charity that was previously accused of funneling cash to late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s regime.

"Defund the Police" & Lying About it

• "Defund the Police":

El-Sayed supported defunding law enforcement and then lied about his position. Non-partisan fact-checkers like Bridge Michigan evaluated his public health track record. In 2020 Abdul El-Sayed repeatedly called to ‘Defund the Police’. Yet, El Sayed has been lying about it.

The "Ogre on a Pike" and Violent Political Rhetoric In July 2026, a leaked audio recording from a private donor call captured El-Sayed discussing primarying Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, using the phrase "putting an ogre on a pike."

• The Backlash: The comment drew swift bipartisan condemnation. Critics and rival campaigns labeled it as "beneath the progressive project" and a dangerous personal attack.

Fetterman, in response, termed El-Sayed "Pontiac Platner," as a play on Graham Platner.

Transparency: Financial Delay El-Sayed was criticized for filing a March 2026 extension that legally delayed the mandatory disclosure of his personal finances until after the August 4 primary. El-Sayed acknowledged that he has millions.

Additional Income El-Sayed was also in the hot seat for another foreign rental property and nearly $300K in additional income. "The filings reveal up to $2.1M in assets, including a Dubai rental property and debt to a luxury real estate firm."

Imam Hassan Qazwini

Mohammed Qazwini: "It is mandatory to support brother Abdul El-Sayed; every Muslim man and woman has an obligation to elect him because he is a Muslim and will support Muslim issues in country." The Washington Free Beacon reported that the extremist imam Hassan Qazwini urged supporters to vote for Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan's Democratic primary.

Embezzlement & sex

In late 2014 and early 2015, anonymous letters circulated among members of the Islamic Center of America accusing that Qazwini had diverted mosque donations to projects associated with his father in Iraq and had entered into a sexual relationship.

On Islamic fascist Republic of Iran's leader Khamenei

In July 2026, the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) published and translated remarks by Qazwini concerning the funeral of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Qazwini described Khamenei as a so-called "martyr" whose death came while defending the Islamic nation and praised the large public turnout at his funeral as honoring a leader who had sacrificed [sic] himself for Islam.

Trump, GOP reaction to primary win

President Donald Trump declared El-Sayed’s win as “great news for the Republican Party”.

On Truth Social, Mr Trump described him as “a Communist loser who hates Jews and Israel”. “The Dumocrats crazy policies will only get worse!”

'Never in million years did I think I’d be running against someone who thinks America deserved 9/11,’ GOP Michigan Senate candidate Michael J. Rogers.

2026 Senate election campaign: Money into politics and his camp tactics

Reportedly, Muslims flooded early voting.

An investigation examining the political fundraising network supporting Abdul El-Sayed's Michigan Senate campaign. Drawing on research by Canary Mission and campaign-finance disclosures, the article identified overlapping donors and approximately 14 political action committees and super PACs supporting El-Sayed and other progressive candidates critical of Israel and AIPAC. It highlighted financial connections involving American Priorities, Unity & Justice Fund, CAIR Action, Fighting for Michigan, and other political organizations. The report identified several major donors and described transfers between affiliated political committees, while noting that the organizations maintained separate structures. Representatives of American Priorities and Unity & Justice Fund disputed the report's characterization of their political activities and defended their positions on Israel and AIPAC. The article questioned how the network's substantial independent political spending related to El-Sayed's claims that his campaign was funded by grassroots supporters rather than corporate interests.

Ibrahim Charara, Lebanon's consul general in Detroit, attended an Arab American Political Action Committee (AAPAC) banquet supporting Abdul El-Sayed and other Democratic candidates. The article highlighted Charara's 2021 social media comments describing Hezbollah's 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, which killed 241 American service members, as "heroic resistance." It also documented Charara's appearances alongside El-Sayed and other political figures at events in the Dearborn area, raising questions about his political associations and diplomatic activities. The Lebanese consulate and embassy did not respond to the publication's requests for comment.

Arab VS black: Ethnic and racial tensions in Detroit

Ethnic and racial tensions involving Detroit's African-American and Arab-American communities became a subject of public discussion during Michigan's 2026 U.S. Senate campaign. An incident involving two women, one African-American and the other Arab-American, following a vehicle collision in Detroit's Warrendale neighborhood prompted allegations of harassment, racist language, and threats. Detroit police and elected officials addressed the incident on September 18, 2026, emphasizing that the alleged conduct should not be attributed to either entire ethnic community. Officials also called for greater dialogue and cooperation between Black and Arab-American residents.

The tensions also became a subject of political discussion in the Michigan Senate race involving Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed. Media coverage examined whether divisions and concerns among Arab-American, African-American, and Jewish voters could affect his campaign. Issues included El-Sayed's criticism of Israeli government policies, his outreach to different communities, and concerns among some voters about representation, antisemitism, and the Israel-Gaza conflict.

An October 11, 2026, report by The Washington Times further examined the challenges El-Sayed faced in appealing to Arab-American, Black, and Jewish voters. The broader debate reflected differing perspectives on Israel, community relations, political identity, and the candidate's efforts to build a coalition across Michigan's diverse electorate.

El Sayed, who lost the Black vote in the primaries, tried to win Black voters over through promotional clips. The first featured Gatorade and spicy chips, followed by a clip of him ordering fried chicken.

El-Sayed also said he isn’t racist like other Arabs are.

After recruiting Obama, El Sayed's multi million dollars backed camp recruited Jim Clyburn to campaign with him in churches. As the rift between Arabs and blacks have been simmering for years.

Tucker Carlson

El Sayed, especially on the last day, ran a Tucker Carlson ad to chip from some of Republican voters.

Antisemitic ad for Abdul El-Sayed (Oct/2026)

In Oct 2026, Cenk Uygur revamped a 2024 antisemitic disgusting ad blaming the Jews (hiding under anti-Israel "criticism"), erroneously, for grocery prices. It was Nazi like. Not facts based.

Van Jones:

“

Let me state a little-known fact: ISRAEL GETS LESS THAN 0.1 PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL BUDGET. That’s less than one tenth of a percent! But there is an ad running that tells voters they can’t afford groceries because the United States gives so much money to Israel. In reality, the United States spends money in and on countries all around the world – but this ad singles out the Jewish state. The ad is as dangerous as it is dishonest. You can disagree with how the United States spends money abroad. But telling hungry families that the Jewish state is the reason they are suffering is wrong and shameful. Blaming Jews for people’s problems is an old story. Anybody who has read the last century of history knows where it leads. It is a dark pathway. This ad is anti-Jewish hate and should come down immediately. Abdul El-Sayed should denounce it today.

”

"Jewish community leaders and fellow Democrats widely denounced the advertisement, saying the connection between domestic inflation and American support for Israel evoked harmful anti-Semitic tropes involving Jewish financial influence."

Among the political figures criticizing the advertisement was Democratic congresswoman Haley Stevens, who described it as "fearmongering" and rejected its attribution of American economic difficulties to Israel. Representative Dan Goldman called on El-Sayed to explicitly condemn the advertisement, describing it as dangerously antisemitic. Former Democratic National Committee chairman Jaime Harrison criticized the advertisement for inflaming divisions and undermining El-Sayed's efforts to build a coalition. Former congressman Joe Walsh also condemned the advertisement, describing it as disgusting, dishonest, and antisemitic.

Jonathan Greenblatt, chief executive officer of the Anti-Defamation League, described the advertisement as a "case study in antisemitism". Former U.S. ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro rejected the suggestion that Israel or American aid to Israel was responsible for rising grocery prices. The American Jewish Committee also criticized the advertisement's claims linking Israel to American economic hardship.

Other commentators who criticized the advertisement included CNN political commentator Scott Jennings, New York Times columnist David French, political activist Amy Siskind, political commentator Jonah Goldberg, and Alex Eisen. Their criticism focused on the advertisement's antisemitic rhetoric and its economic claims.

Some critics condemned the advertisement itself, while others specifically called on El-Sayed to publicly disavow it. Jason Turkish, the fiancé of former U.S. representative Haley Stevens, said he intended to vote for Republican Mike Rogers in the 2026 Michigan Senate election, citing concerns about antisemitism in Abdul El-Sayed's campaign. Every tine El Sayed spoke about Gaza Jews were threatened. Stevens subsequently said in an interview with CNN that she disagreed with her fiancé's position while urging El-Sayed to denounce ads promoting him via antisemitic hate, specifically featuring Tucker Carlson and the sick one by Cenk Uygur blaming Jews for grocery prices, noting it's dangerous for Jewish lives.

Haley Stevens, the outgoing Democrat, demanded El Sayed forcefully denounce the hateful ads, especially the aforementioned, as well as similar lines he uttered earlier. His reluctance created a rift within the party.

Principles Over Party: Stevens Endorsement of Mike Rogers

After El Sayed's refusal to denounce the hateful ad by Cenk Uygur, on November 1, 2026, two days before the United States Senate election in Michigan, Democratic Representative Haley Stevens announced her endorsement of Republican nominee Mike Rogers over Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed. Stevens made the announcement after attending a joint church service with Rogers in Detroit, stating that while she remained a "proud Democrat," she could not support El-Sayed due to an escalating rift over rhetoric regarding Israel and antisemitism. Specifically, Stevens cited El-Sayed's campaign association with left-wing political streamer Hasan Piker and El-Sayed's refusal to denounce a third-party advertisement falsely linking U.S. military aid to Israel, exclusively, with inflation, stating, "We can't stand with hate. We can't stand with Hasan Piker."

The endorsement drew sharp praise from President Trump, conservative commentators and Republican officials, including Representative Bill Huizenga and Michigan GOP spokesperson Greg Manz, who characterized Stevens's decision as a principled and courageous crossover. In a supportive editorial, the New York Post Editorial Board described the cross-party endorsement as an "act of bravery," arguing that it underscored deep ideological divisions within modern Democratic coalitions regarding Israel and modern progressive groups.

Conversely, the decision provoked immediate political blowback from Democratic leadership. Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel strongly rebuked the move, stating on X that Stevens would no longer be considered a member of the state party, while El-Sayed dismissed the political impact of the endorsement, stating that he was focused on policy and the broader Michigan electorate rather than intra-party politics.

The nasty Democrats reaction: Experts said "Dems trying to ‘make an example’ of Haley Stevens. “They want to make sure that nobody else dares to put principle ahead of party.” Activist: “That’s why I think they’re being particularly nasty.” Noted the "sacrifice of Haley Stevens and the future of the Democrats" That "the party establishment will ensure that the Michigan congresswoman will pay with her future career for her decision to oppose the openly antisemitic Abdul El-Sayed."

This cane after 2 million in Michigan already voted. Which its impact in final results is doubtful.

Violent attack on Campus

A conservative Jewish activist, Lizzy Benichou, who visited the University of Michigan campus on November 2, 2026, was partly motivated by concerns about Abdul El-Sayed, whose political affiliations and campaign funding she wanted to discuss with students. During her visit, she was violently attacked by a supporter of El-Sayed..

“

"She slapped Joe [Redden] in the face with her phone. Then she came up towards me and I told her, 'You would not be able to do this in Iran,'" Benichou said, recounting the incident. She explained that she was referring to freedom of speech, pointing to the Iranian government's treatment of protesters. The confrontation escalated as Benichou and fellow conservative influencer Cam Higby challenged the woman over women's freedoms in Iran. "I think [Higby] said, 'She wouldn't be allowed to be dressed like this,'" she continued.

”

She vowed not to be silenced after being attacked.

NYT

The The New York Times slammed for its election-night television coverage, which recommended NBC, ABC, CBS, and CNN but did not mention Fox News. Columnist also questioned the political backgrounds of Times staff members and criticized the newspaper's coverage of Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, its characterization of criticism directed at El-Sayed as Islamophobic, and a book review discussing Israel and the Holocaust. The article argued that these examples reflected declining political impartiality at the newspaper.

PBS

On Nov 2, 2026, "Amna Nawaz led PBS NewsHour chose to sidestep the epidemic of antisemitism, (especially following dual Islamist bigots: Hasan Piker and his uncle Cenk Uygur pushing hatred in campaigning for el Sayed) and instead give El-Sayed a political assist, airing a segment on “anti-Muslim” sentiment just one day before the election.

Even worse, it legitimized Hamas-linked CAIR by presenting it as a credible source, despite its leader, Nihad Awad, praising the October 7 atrocities."

Islamic Bigot Cenk Uygur Antisemitic Ad For El Sayed

Piker's rant

Seeing El Sayed campaigning among Jews, Islamo-socialist Hasan Piker dared to compare Jewish voters to KKK in online rant. El-Sayed called the comments ‘utterly inappropriate and flat out wrong’ — but conspicuously refrained from criticizing his friend Piker himself.

See also

• Hamas wing of the Democratic Party
• Zohran Mamdani
• Hasan Piker
• Omar Fateh
• Ermiya Fanaeian
• Darializa Avila Chevalier
• Gaza GenoLIE