El-Sayed Snaps At Reporter When Asked Why It Took So Long to Campaign With Haley Stevens
Michigan Democratic Party U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed snapped at a reporter this week when asked why it has taken so long for him to hit the campaign trail with his former primary opponent, Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI).
El-Sayed narrowly defeated Stevens in the much closer-than-expected primary and is now running in a close race with Republican Mike Rogers.
Stevens quickly endorsed El-Sayed and has boosted the Democratic ticket in the state, although her fiancé made headlines recently by endorsing Rogers, saying he was putting “country over party.”
“You’re going to have an event with her [Stevens] this weekend. Is it designed to bring unity to the party? What’s the reason behind it?” a reporter asked El-Sayed on Thursday evening at an event.
“We’re always trying to unify the party, and the more voices talking about what it takes to get money out of politics, put money in your pocket, pass Medicare for All, take on Trump and Trumpism, the better. So grateful that we get to go out there and build together the movement that we need to win.” El-Sayed answered as the reporter jumped back in:
Why has it taken until the Sunday before Election Day for you and Congresswoman Stevens to have a joint appearance?
“Well, she’s a congresswoman, and I’m on the trail, so things get busy. But we’ve been happy to campaign with just about everybody, and so we’re looking forward to continuing to campaign,” replied the Michigan Democrat.
“Things get busy? Come on, that’s not an answer to this,” pressed the reporter.
“Jeff, you’re really asking the questions that the people want to hear, really. This is about the key things. Why can’t I afford my groceries?” hit back El-Sayed.
“Well, why has it taken until Sunday to campaign for somebody? Ask me a serious question,” El-Sayed fumed.
“I think she would call that a serious question,” the reporter insisted.
Another reporter jumped in and asked, “So you talked a little bit about this in your speech, but President Trump was maybe supposed to come here on Monday. He’s canceled that and some other rallies. I mean, could you just talk about, does that signal anything for your race or?”
“I mean, like, he’s an old man; he is a loser. And he understands that if he keeps coming out here, he’s just, look, so we were, what, up, average polling had us up three, and then now the average polling has us up like seven,” El-Sayed replied, jabbing Trump.
Stevens released a statement announcing her Sunday campaign event with El-Sayed and cited his campaign distancing itself from Cenk Uygur’s anti-Israel ad, which many critics denounced as blatant anti-Semitism.
“On the eve of the eve of the eve of our BIG and important election, a unifying moment has arrived, our Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate disavows the Rebellion PAC ad made by Hasan Piker’s uncle that claims Jews are responsible for America’s economic woes. We have learned from party leaders and emissaries, as reported in the news media, that he has,” Stevens wrote on X, adding:
On Sunday I will join with the Great Democratic leader, Jim Clyburn and Dr El Sayed for a church service in the beautiful city of Detroit.
The political coalition of Black and Jewish voices that have carried Michigan and this country through so many storms to the righteous path of liberal democracy and equal opportunity for all will ring out.
Her post then included a full statement on the issue.
Watch the clip above via C-SPAN.
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