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Michigan Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed suggested that reporters press him about the Israel-Hamas war because of his name and his faith.
Speaking on Detroit Public Radio’s “MichMash” podcast, El-Sayed pushed back on host Zach Gorchow’s line of questioning about the Israel-Hamas conflict, suggesting that his name and Muslim faith play a role in the media attention surrounding the issue.
“You’ve been asked many times whether you support a two-state solution regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and you generally say you support equal rights to self-determination for Jewish Israelis and Palestinians,” Gorchow said. “Can you tell us, what does that mean?”
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Michigan U.S. Sen candidate, Abdul El-Sayed, speaks with media after a debate at WoodTV studios on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, in Grand Rapids, Mich. (AP Photo/Kristen Norman)
“Zach, with all due respect, this has been hashed and rehashed,” El-Sayed began. “This is the MichMash podcast. I’m focused on what’s happening for the 10 million people in this state.”
El-Sayed then suggested the media’s interest in his stance on the conflict was related to his identity.
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“It’s so frustrating to me that people want to make this race about something that’s happening 6,000 miles away, when we’ve got kids who can’t afford a next meal here at home,” he continued.
The controversial candidate went on to blast the constant line of questioning from members of the press regarding his stance on providing aid to Israel — a topic he has remained staunchly against throughout his campaign.
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Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive candidate in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Michigan, speaks during a primary election night event Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, at the Majestic Theatre in Detroit. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)
“I just find it so interesting that I never get asked about this question on the stump,” El-Sayed told the host. “But it seems to me that every time I sit down with anybody in the press, it seems that that’s the most important question.”
El-Sayed continued by suggesting the media’s focus on his stance on Israel could be related to his name and Muslim faith.
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Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed speaks to members of the media ahead of the Michigan Democratic Party’s 2026 nominating convention in Lansing, Mich., on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (Sarah Rice/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“It tends to be the first question everybody likes to ask me,” he said. “I wonder why? I mean, does it have something to do with my name? Maybe, you know, how I pray?”
He concluded by doubling-down on his assertion that his campaign is focused on the people of Michigan — not the people of Israel.
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“It’s fascinating to me that I’m running to represent ten million people who live here, and you want to ask about people living somewhere else,” El-Sayed continued. “And I just think I want to be talking about [the] people living here.”
According to data compiled by the Jewish Virtual Library, Michigan is home to 129,225 Jewish residents — which comprise roughly 1.3% of the state’s population.
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El-Sayed’s comments were of interest to CEO of Axia Public Relations Jason Mudd, who told Fox News Digital his ability to flip the narrative on the press shows a level of message discipline.
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“He stayed on message, pivoting to affordability both times he was asked. That’s real discipline. But when you listen to the full episode, he never uses the word racist. He questions why the topic keeps coming up and ties it to his name and his faith. He’s pointing to bias.”
“If El-Sayed were my client, I’d advise him to name the bias claim directly instead of leaving it implied, then answer the follow-up on what his position actually means in the same breath. Right now the framing comes first, and he still hasn’t answered the follow-up.”
Fox News Digital reached out to El-Sayed’s campaign for comment.
