Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed said he would appear on Bill Maher’s programme to challenge the comedian’s views on Islam and persuade viewers who disagree with him. El-Sayed also said he wanted to see Maher get “his a– whooped” on his own show by a Muslim, using a phrase that appears to describe a verbal takedown in context.

Maher responded on his programme by saying his criticism of Islam concerned ideas rather than race, and invited El-Sayed to appear on “Real Time” to discuss their differences. The article says Fox News Digital sought comment from El-Sayed’s campaign and Maher’s representative but had not received a response at publication. It also notes El-Sayed’s previous challenge to Republican rival Mike Rogers to play tackle football; Rogers dismissed that proposal as unserious.