Abdul El-Sayed's faith and family have come under intense scrutiny in Michigan race. Here's what we know.
Key Points:
- The Michigan U.S. Senate race features Republican Mike Rogers, backed by Trump, against Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, a doctor who could become the first Muslim U.S. senator, with El-Sayed currently leading in recent polls by about 7 points.
- Trump and Rogers have used Islamophobic rhetoric targeting El-Sayed's Muslim identity, while El-Sayed's campaign condemns such attacks as distractions from his record as a doctor and public servant.
- Controversy surrounds El-Sayed's family background, including his mother's past employment at a charity shut down for alleged terrorist ties, his half-sister's claims about the family's Muslim Brotherhood involvement, and his father-in-law's leadership roles in Muslim organizations linked to past terrorism investigations, though no direct wrongdoing by El-Sayed has been established.
- El-Sayed's past includes involvement with the Muslim Students' Association, a group with historical ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, and signing a 2013 petition supporting Egypt's then-Muslim Brotherhood president, Mohamed Morsi; his Substack writings criticize U.S. Middle East policy and Israel's treatment of Palestinians while condemning Hamas violence.
- El-Sayed has received endorsements from unions and progressive groups, as well as CAIR Action and Americans for Justice in Palestine, organizations that have faced accusations of links to extremist groups, though El-Sayed's campaign has not addressed these associations directly.