Mike Rogers attacks Abdul El Sayed over alleged ties in debate

Republican candidate Mike Rogers criticized Democratic opponent Abdul El-Sayed over alleged ties to the Muslim Brotherhood during a Michigan Senate debate on Wednesday. The New York Post reported that Mr Rogers, a former congressman and retired FBI agent, questioned whether Mr El-Sayed was for America or overseas groups, citing an open letter from 2012. MS NOW confirmed that the two candidates faced off again in the televised Michigan debate. [1][9][13]

Senate Republicans on the Foreign Relations Committee have sharply criticized Mr El-Sayed over past support for Muslim Brotherhood protesters in Egypt, Fox News reported. Former staff members indicated that Mr El-Sayed is seeking a seat on the panel if elected. Fox News also reported that Senator Ted Cruz accused Mr El-Sayed of lying during an inquiry into the Muslim Brotherhood. [2][3]

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee made a late donation to support Mr Rogers due to Mr El-Sayed being a vocal critic of Israel, according to the New York Times. Meanwhile, thejournal.ie reported that allies of Donald Trump have targeted Mr El-Sayed with anti-Muslim slurs during the campaign, following earlier remarks where Mr Trump referred to him as a jihadist, as reported by AOL. [4][5][12]

Mr El-Sayed is an epidemiologist and the Democratic nominee for the 2026 United States Senate election in Michigan, who previously served as executive director of the Detroit Health Department. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Senate Republicans launched an online game targeting Mr El-Sayed ahead of the debate, while recent polls show a tight race between the two candidates in Michigan. [14][16][17][18]