Vance rebukes El-Sayed over wife's name
US Senator JD Vance warned Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed to keep his wife's name out of political discourse, escalating a personal clash that began with El-Sayed's previous remarks about Sharia law.
According to reports, Vance took issue with El-Sayed's earlier comments made at a rally in Ohio, and said he wished he could travel back in time to speak to his late grandfather, whom he calls "Papaw," about a politician who claims to represent working people while supporting Sharia law and viewing criticism of it as white supremacy.
"That's not my grandpa's Democratic Party," Vance said.
El-Sayed, who narrowly defeated establishment-backed Representative Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary, responded on X to a video of Vance speaking. In his post, he brought Usha Vance, JD Vance's wife, into the conversation, writing: "So do we think JD is taking Usha with him back in time to meet Papaw, or no…"
Vance accused El-Sayed of having a "weird habit of talking about my family" and issued a direct warning: "But whatever you want to talk about, Abdul, keep my wife's name the hell out of your mouth, because she's way out of your league."
Usha Vance, who is the daughter of Indian immigrants and grew up in a Hindu family, commented on the controversy during an appearance on Fox News' 'Fox & Friends.' She said the joke made her laugh. "I have to admit, I kind of laughed," she said. "Because yes, I never met JD's Mamaw and Papaw. But I do know and love the children that they raised, his mom, his aunt and uncle. And they have never been anything but incredibly loving."
'Evil' accusation and response
Vance went further in his criticism of El-Sayed, accusing him of prioritizing one community over others. "There's something about Abdul El-Sayed that is very, very evil and on the rise in the United States of America today, and it's people who see themselves not as citizens of a common nation, fighting for every single person, but see themselves as fighting for one group at the expense of others," Vance said.
El-Sayed responded by turning the accusation back on the Trump administration and Republicans. "Evil is ripping healthcare away from working people in exchange for tax breaks for billionaires," he said, adding that Michiganders will show their discontent at the ballot box in November.
Race context
The exchange comes as the Michigan Senate race is seen as pivotal for control of the US Senate. A poll shows El-Sayed leading his Republican opponent, Rogers, by four points, with 10 per cent of voters still undecided.
El-Sayed, a progressive, had previously beaten Representative Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary, a race that drew attention to the party's internal divisions.