Key facts
- Thomas Teepell, a former aide to Senator Josh Hawley, heckled Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed.
- Teepell questioned El-Sayed about his alleged ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.
- El-Sayed, who is Muslim, denied any connection to the group.
- Teepell's father is Republican strategist Timmy Teepell.
A man who heckled Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed at a Michigan townhall on Saturday has been identified as Thomas Teepell, a former aide to Republican Senator Josh Hawley. Teepell, whose name was initially given only as "Tommy," shouted from the crowd, demanding El-Sayed disavow the Muslim Brotherhood.
El-Sayed responded affirmatively but then questioned the implication of dual loyalty, drawing parallels to doubts once cast on John F. Kennedy's Catholicism. He stated he is Muslim and running for the Senate, and that the questioner needed to understand the Constitution.
Teepell, who joined Hawley's office as an intern in 2023 and rose to operations director before leaving in February, is the son of Republican strategist Timmy Teepell. The line of attack echoes previous Republican efforts to link El-Sayed to the Muslim Brotherhood, which El-Sayed has vehemently denied.
Despite the controversy, El-Sayed holds a narrow lead in polls over his opponent, Rogers. El-Sayed is scheduled to campaign with former President Barack Obama on October 24.