El-Sayed mocks Trump, Vance and Rogers in Michigan Senate victory speech
Democrat Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan's Senate race over Republican Mike Rogers and used his victory speech to take aim at President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and his defeated opponent.
Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed used his victory speech in Michigan on Tuesday night to mock President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and his defeated Republican opponent, Mike Rogers, signaling a combative posture as he prepares to take his seat in the Senate.
El-Sayed said his opponents « went all-in on one of the ugliest campaigns we've seen in our lifetimes ». He argued that his name and his faith were not the reason Michigan families cannot afford gas or groceries, and he said Trump's comments about him had grown « uglier and coarser ». Addressing parents who have struggled to explain why the president mocked someone for their name or how they pray, he told them that « the bad guys lost ». « They want an America that is too small for some of us, but we know America is big enough for all of us », he said.
El-Sayed also turned his remarks toward Vance, a figure he has frequently clashed with in recent months. Pointing out that the vice president is constitutionally obligated to swear him in when Congress convenes in January, he said: « There is this delicious irony in the fact that you're constitutionally obligated to swear me in in January. So you know what that means. Wolverine one. Buckeye zero. » Rogers was not spared either. El-Sayed told him to « enjoy your retirement » and added, « May we never have to see the likes of you in the state again ».
In the same speech, El-Sayed shifted to foreign policy, saying Americans want their money spent at home. « We don't want our money spent on apartheid or genocidal war », he said, a reference to U.S. aid to Israel. Trump has said Israel will stop receiving $4 billion in U.S. aid by the end of the year but can still buy weapons.
The race drew sharp scrutiny throughout the campaign. El-Sayed faced questions over alleged ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, concerns about his rhetoric on Israel and Jewish voters in Michigan, and criticism from fellow Democrats over his ties to political streamer Hasan Piker. Rogers, for his part, could not escape the political headwinds facing Republicans this cycle, including affordability concerns, Trump's trade war with Canada launched during the midterm campaign, and the Iran war, despite his efforts to distance himself from those issues.
El-Sayed's win also carries broader political weight. After his upset over Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens, Republicans had cast him as the face of socialism and communism in their messaging. His victory is a significant setback for the GOP's effort to portray the progressive direction of the Democratic Party as a liability, and it came as Democrats regained control of both the House and the Senate in the midterm elections.
Source: foxnews.com
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