Abdul El-Sayed’s Race Has Been Defined by Islamophobia. Will It Be Determined by It?

Abdul El-Sayed’s Michigan Senate campaign is facing anti-Muslim attacks, including claims linking him to terrorism and the Muslim Brotherhood, as the midterm election approaches. The attacks have received less attention in the race’s closing days than former rival Haley Stevens’s accusations of antisemitism and her endorsement of Republican Mike Rogers.

The article reports that President Donald Trump called El-Sayed a “jihadist”, while a mailer reportedly placed his image beside the World Trade Center towers. One poll found 38 per cent of Michigan voters would be less likely to vote for a Muslim candidate. Arab American organisers are canvassing for El-Sayed, who could become the first Muslim in the US Senate, and say support from anti-war voters may help his campaign.