Fact check: False claims target US Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed
Abdul El-Sayed, who could become the first Muslim elected to the US Senate if he wins in November, has been targeted by false claims online following his victory in Michigan's Democratic Senate primary.
The Democratic primary for Michigan's U.S. Senate seat was won by Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive candidate. He will face Republican Mike Rogers in the November midterm elections. El-Sayed would be the first Muslim U.S. senator if he wins.
El-Sayed is a target for political disinformation due to his Muslim faith, progressive views, and criticism of Israel, according to a journalism professor. Claims about voting irregularities during primaries and allegations that he claimed the U.S. deserved 9/11 spread online.
One Facebook post claimed El-Sayed received three times more votes than there were registered voters in Detroit, but this was debunked. The article also incorrectly stated El-Sayed received 1.4 million votes in Detroit, when in fact he received 743,455 statewide. El-Sayed has consistently denied being a socialist or communist, stating he is a capitalist.
El-Sayed's opponent, Mike Rogers, falsely called El-Sayed someone who believes America deserved 9/11. However, this was based on a statement by El-Sayed's supporter, Hasan Piker, not El-Sayed himself. The Rogers campaign cited a video clip of El-Sayed refusing to disavow Piker's comments.
El-Sayed has faced Islamophobic attacks, which is not new. These attacks target his Muslim identity and are part of a broader Republican Party shift towards an anti-Muslim narrative.
Written by urgent.news from DW English (Top Stories)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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