Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed defended his disparaging remarks about Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) during a debate before the primary election.

El-Sayed’s Comments

El-Sayed referred to Fetterman as an ‘ogre’ that he would like to see put ‘on a pike’ in a Zoom meeting with Democratic donors. He was asked to apologize for his comments during the debate but instead doubled down on his criticism of Fetterman.

El-Sayed stated that Fetterman has done ‘terrible things’ and that state leadership requires an honest assessment of fellow lawmakers. He also mentioned that he has no problem with primarying people like Fetterman to serve as a warning to Democrats who deviate from key party positions.

Fetterman’s Response

Fetterman addressed El-Sayed’s comments in a statement, saying ‘I pick being Senator Shrek over being the Pontiac Platner any day.’ The controversy surrounding El-Sayed’s remarks has sparked a debate about the tone and tenor of his campaign.

Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.