Vice President JD Vance attended a rally in a Detroit suburb to support Republican candidate Mike Rogers in Michigan’s closely-contested Senate race. During the event, Vance made strong criticism of Democratic opponent Abdul El-Sayed, describing him as “very, very evil” and accusing him of seeking to “destroy” the country. Vance characterized El-Sayed as a divisive figure with little commitment to community unity.
The vice president’s remarks referenced El-Sayed’s primary campaign, during which the candidate appeared alongside controversial Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who had made statements suggesting the United States deserved the September 11 attacks. While El-Sayed did not make such statements himself and has since distanced himself from Piker, Vance repeatedly connected the two during his speech. Additionally, Vance responded to previous comments El-Sayed made about the Vance family, telling him to refrain from mentioning the Second Lady, whose Hindu faith had been referenced by El-Sayed.
El-Sayed responded to these attacks later on Monday during a CNN interview, turning the term “evil” back on the Trump administration. He accused Vance and the administration of implementing harmful policies, including reductions to healthcare coverage, increases in food and gas prices, and trade conflicts. El-Sayed sought to clarify his earlier remarks about the Vance family, stating his intent was to illustrate what he characterized as a political philosophy suggesting some Americans are more accepted than others.
Recent polling data from Michigan-based firm Epic-MRA indicates El-Sayed maintains a narrow four-point advantage over Rogers, a former law enforcement officer with extensive political experience. The Michigan Senate race has become one of the most prominent contests in the current election cycle, taking place in the crucial battleground state that former President Joe Biden won in 2020 and Donald Trump won in 2024.
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