Democratic congressional candidate Abdul El-Sayed is scheduled to appear at the Islamic Society of North America's (ISNA) annual convention alongside clerics who have drawn scrutiny for past extremist or controversial statements, according to Fox News. His inclusion on the convention programme has drawn criticism amid a broader pattern of scrutiny over his associations, including a planned rally alongside streamer Hasan Piker, who has made controversial remarks about the 11 September attacks and the October 2023 Hamas assault on Israel.

El-Sayed, who is running in a closely contested Michigan race against Republican Mike Rogers, has faced repeated questions over his past comments, including remarks about the death of Iran's Ayatollah and his position on defunding US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He has also compared his socialist politics to Jesus, calling himself "radical in his time, too." A Michigan rabbi has broken from the Democratic Party to endorse Rogers instead, describing an El-Sayed win as a potential "disaster."