Michigan Democratic US Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is facing attack ads claiming he has a history of disrespecting women. However, a closer look at the sources cited in the ads reveals that the criticisms appear to be rooted in policy, not gender.
Context Matters
The ads, paid for by a group supporting rival Haley Stevens, reference a 2010 opinion column El-Sayed wrote for The Guardian on then-First Lady Michelle Obama’s anti-obesity initiative and 2018 campaign criticisms of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s corporate connections. Both criticisms seem to focus on policy rather than gender.
El-Sayed has called the claims “personal attacks” that have impacted his family, including his 8-year-old daughter being asked by friends if her dad is disrespectful to women. He has also questioned why his opponent, Stevens, hasn’t fully explained her corporate funding.
The United Democracy Project, a political action committee affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), has spent nearly $25 million on ads touting Stevens or criticizing El-Sayed ahead of the August 4 primary.
Original reporting: BridgeDetroit — read the source article.
