Can the man Trump called a 'jihadist' become America's first Muslim senator?
Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is facing intense criticism from Donald Trump, who has labeled him a 'jihadist' and alleged extremist ties. El-Sayed, a physician and former health director, has denied these claims and accused the President of using his faith as a political distraction.
Why it matters
The race highlights the role of identity politics and religious rhetoric in modern American electoral campaigns.
NEW DELHI: With just over a week left for the US midterm elections, a Senate race in Michigan has drawn national attention. US President Donald Trump unleashed a series of attacks on Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, calling him a "jihadist" and accusing him of having links to extremist groups. El-Sayed is seeking to become America's first Muslim senator in the November 3 midterm elections.At a campaign rally in Port Huron, Trump called El-Sayed a "jihadist" who was "on the side of the terrorists" and claimed he would "have to go through a metal detector before he's allowed to go into the Senate."Trump also referred to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, comparing efforts to stop El-Sayed from entering the Senate with the passengers who fought back against hijackers aboard United Airlines Flight 93.The president accused El-Sayed of having links to the Muslim Brotherhood and wanting to impose sharia law.…
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