Donald Trump attacked Democratic US Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed during a campaign event in Iowa on Sunday, repeatedly labeling the Michigan progressive a “jihadist”.
The Iowa Rally and Senate Race
Trump’s remarks sought to sway a closely contested race that holds major significance in deciding control of the Senate following Tuesday’s midterm elections. The president targeted El-Sayed, who is a practicing Muslim, using openly racist language by asserting that Congress would require a special metal detector for the candidate if he won office.
Trump told the crowd that anyone voting for the candidate whom he called a jihadist lunatic wishing to destroy the country would be crazy.
Primary Fallout and Endorsements
National attention has intensified around the Michigan race after Hayley Stevens, who was defeated by El-Sayed in the August primary, refused to campaign alongside him. Stevens demanded that El-Sayed publicly disavow a political advertisement from an outside group suggesting a connection between rising prices and US military assistance for Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
In response, El-Sayed told Stevens to stay away from a joint campaign event scheduled for Sunday. Stevens subsequently endorsed Mike Rogers, the Republican opponent running against El-Sayed. The high-profile political defection near the end of the tight race drew criticism from Jewish Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer.
Conversely, Trump praised Stevens for turning against El-Sayed and suggested she should switch parties to join the GOP. Trump stated that it was an incredible development and expressed his desire for her to become a Republican.
Trump subsequently used metaphorical language to praise Rogers, describing him as apple pie and stating that the country needs a little apple pie rather than communists, jihadists, or the Muslim Brotherhood.
Closing out his remarks, Trump mentioned he had little time to watch football over the weekend due to his busy schedule attending rallies across the country, urging voters to treat him as though he were on the ballot.
