El-Sayed calls Trump’s anti-Muslim attacks a distraction in Michigan race

Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed dismissed President Donald Trump’s recent anti-Muslim attacks as a distraction from the president’s record on issues such as petrol prices and the war on Iran. Speaking at a news conference in Detroit on Monday, El-Sayed described the accusations as "deflections and deceptions based on no evidence." He argued that Republicans are focusing on his faith rather than addressing economic concerns like gas, groceries, and clean water.

The remarks came after Trump held a rally in Michigan on Sunday, where he accused El-Sayed of wanting to impose "Sharia law" and joked that the Democrat would need to go through a metal detector before entering the Senate. El-Sayed laughed off the suggestion, referencing the Wolverine mascot of his alma mater, the University of Michigan, and said, "He knows I got those Wolverine claws."

El-Sayed is locked in a close race with former Republican Congressman Mike Rogers, a contest that could determine the Senate majority for the next two years. Rogers has centered his campaign on allegations linking El-Sayed to the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, and Hezbollah. El-Sayed also addressed Trump’s misrepresentation of his name, stating that his name and faith are not the reasons voters struggle with the cost of living.

Read the full story at aljazeera.com.