GOP uses 9/11 anniversary to bash left-wing Dems
DALLAS — Republicans are invoking 9/11 to bash left-wing Democrats in a growing number of midterm races , seizing on the 25th anniversary of the attacks to portray them or their supporters as anti-American and sympathetic to terrorists. Why it matters: It marks the return of a controversial political tactic that was common in the years after the 9/11 attacks but had largely faded from campaigns…
As the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks approaches, Republicans in several midterm races are leveraging the somber occasion to criticize left-leaning Democrats, arguing they are anti-American and sympathetic to terrorism. This controversial tactic, once prevalent during the immediate aftermath of 9/11, has resurfaced with renewed vigor.
In Michigan, Republican Senate contender Mike Rogers plans to target Democrat Abdul El-Sayed during his speech at the Republican party's convention, highlighting El-Sayed's association with left-wing streaming personality Hasan Piker, who once expressed views many consider anti-American. El-Sayed, a vocal critic of Israel's government and a symbol of the Democratic Party's progressive shift, has dismissed Piker's 2019 remarks as misguided, stating unequivocally that America did not deserve to be attacked.
Despite this, El-Sayed has shown reluctance in severing ties with Piker, citing his popularity among young progressives. Critics accuse Republicans of employing Islamophobic rhetoric, while supporters maintain the strategy is a necessary means of combating hate. Similar attacks have emerged in New York, Colorado, and other states, with Democrats facing scrutiny over their associations with left-wing figures and their stance on American foreign policy.
This 9/11-inspired onslaught is part of a broader Republican effort to portray Democrats as extreme and out of touch, hoping to capitalize on voter discontent over economic issues and paint the midterms as a "who's worse?" contest.
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