El-Sayed says GOP waging ‘culture war’ over ‘how I pray’ during solo Senate 'debate'

Key Points:

• Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed faced intense questioning over his ties to controversial streamer Hasan Piker, his views on Israel, campaign funding, and connections to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) during a solo forum after his Republican rival Mike Rogers declined to debate.
• El-Sayed explicitly disavowed Piker's offensive remarks about Jewish Americans, defended engaging with Piker as a way to reach his followers, but declined to give a direct yes-or-no answer on U.S. recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, emphasizing equal rights for Palestinians and Israelis.
• He accused Rogers of trying to turn the race into a culture war focused on El-Sayed's ethnicity and Muslim faith, defended receiving campaign contributions from individuals affiliated with the controversial Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), and criticized Rogers for corporate-backed funding and ties to AIPAC.
• El-Sayed distanced himself from the DSA, rejecting the socialist label while defending his views on capitalism and corporate consolidation, and noted that while not a member, he welcomes DSA supporters into the Democratic coalition.
• The candidates are scheduled to debate in October ahead of the November general election, with Rogers having previously declined the August debate citing moderator bias concerns.