El-Sayed pushes back at Republicans who judge him because he ‘might pray differently’
The president on Thursday night accused the Democrat of having ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed criticized President Donald Trump and Republican rival Mike Rogers for using his Muslim faith as a political weapon. In a statement to Semafor, El-Sayed stressed the importance of judging candidates by their actions and work, rather than their religious beliefs. The Republican frontrunner has recently spread allegations that El-Sayed and his family are connected to the Muslim Brotherhood, an organization Trump's administration has labeled as a terrorist group. El-Sayed, an American of Egyptian descent, is poised to become the first Muslim senator if elected.
El-Sayed defended himself against the GOP accusations during a recent TV interview, calling the claims "insane" and insisting that his family members are not involved with the Muslim Brotherhood. He questioned the credibility of half-sister's social media posts, which allegedly reference his mother's association with the group. El-Sayed clarified that he did not have contact with his mother for years after his parents divorced when he was young, and that he is unaware of any family members having been members of the organization.
Comparing his situation to past examples, El-Sayed likened the accusations to those made against John F. Kennedy, the first Catholic president, and President Barack Obama, the first Black president. Kennedy faced accusations of dual loyalties due to his Catholic faith, while Obama endured conspiracy theories about his religious practices as a Christian.
El-Sayed's campaign in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, alongside progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, aims to broaden the electorate in an area that has traditionally been more Republican.
Written by urgent.news from Semafor's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
