Key facts
- JD Vance accused Abdul El-Sayed of cheering on and leading rioters.
- Vance linked El-Sayed to protests in Paris and suggested similar events could occur in the US.
- Donald Trump has also attacked El-Sayed, calling him "on the side of the terrorists."
- El-Sayed stated that his opponents use his name and faith to distract from economic issues.
US Vice President JD Vance has intensified his attacks on Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic candidate for US Senate in Michigan, accusing him of aligning with "hordes of masked rioters" and suggesting he would lead destructive protests in American cities. Vance made these remarks at a campaign stop in Howell, Michigan, on Tuesday, drawing parallels to protests in Paris.
El-Sayed, who could become the country's first Muslim senator, has been the target of a campaign marked by Islamophobic rhetoric. President Donald Trump has also attacked El-Sayed, calling him "on the side of the terrorists." El-Sayed has stated that his opponents use his name and faith to distract from economic issues like healthcare and the cost of groceries.
Researchers have noted a concentrated wave of Islamophobic rhetoric in this midterm election campaign. US Senator Chris Murphy commented on X that these "increasingly hysterical attacks" are a prelude to Republicans taking the country to a "very, very dark place after the election."