Vice President JD Vance called Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed a “psychopath” on Tuesday, Oct. 27, while accusing him of promoting racial hatred and associating with people who justify violence against the United States.
Vance made the remarks while speaking to reporters before traveling to Michigan to campaign for Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers, escalating the personal attacks in a closely watched Senate race ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
“I think Mike Rogers is a great guy. I think Abdul El-Sayed is a little bit of a psychopath,” Vance told reporters, adding that he intended to help Rogers make his case to voters.
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When a reporter asked whether El-Sayed was a “jihadist,” as President Donald Trump had described him, Vance stopped short of endorsing the label directly.
“Well, look, he certainly has a lot of weird friends and he’s said a lot of crazy stuff,” Vance said. He accused El-Sayed of identifying with a segment of the Democratic Party that, according to him, includes elected officials who align themselves with people who justify violence against the United States.
“I don’t know what’s in the guy’s heart, I just know he has a lot of weird friends,” Vance added.
The vice president also accused El-Sayed of engaging in what he described as “explicitly anti-white racial hatred,” arguing that Republicans and conservatives should reject the Democratic candidate.
“I think what Republicans stand for is, whether you’re black or white, we’re for everybody,” Vance said. He claimed El-Sayed had repeatedly promoted racial hatred and said opposing the candidate would be part of his campaign message in Michigan.
Vance also defended Rogers, describing the Republican candidate as “fundamentally a decent guy” and the kind of public servant voters should want in Washington, D.C.
The remarks came amid intensifying political exchanges surrounding El-Sayed, a physician and former Michigan public health official who is challenging Rogers for a U.S. Senate seat. Trump and other Republicans have previously attacked El-Sayed over his political views and associations.
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Vance’s comments also came as conservative commentator Tucker Carlson’s criticism of Rogers and defense of El-Sayed became a subject of questions from reporters. Asked whether Carlson’s position would affect the Michigan Senate race, Vance said he was not a political prognosticator and returned to his criticism of El-Sayed.
The latest exchange adds to the increasingly personal rhetoric surrounding the Michigan contest, with Republicans focusing their attacks on El-Sayed’s statements and associations while backing Rogers ahead of Election Day.