At a Detroit rally, Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed sharply rebuked former Rep. Mike Rogers after Rogers mispronounced his full Arabic name. El-Sayed told Rogers to "keep the name out your **** mouth" or simply call him Abdul, and accused Republicans of weaponizing his name, Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed. He also mocked Rogers by saying the congressman's surname fits his tendency to obediently follow corporate or Trump-era demands. The comments underscore how identity and rhetoric have become focal points in the Michigan Senate race.
Abdul El-Sayed Fires Back at Mike Rogers Over Mispronounced Name
Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, publicly rebuked his Republican opponent, former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.), after Rogers mispronounced El-Sayed's full name during the campaign trail.
"Now Mike, I'm just going to remind you: if you don't know how to say the name, keep the name out your **** mouth. Or just call me Abdul," El-Sayed said during a rally in Detroit on Friday.
El-Sayed said Republicans — including Rogers — have deliberately tried to weaponize his full Arabic name, Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed, as a way to undermine him in the race. He framed the mispronunciation and related attacks as part of a broader pattern of identity-focused rhetoric used against him.
At the Detroit event, El-Sayed also used a pointed pun on Rogers' surname to criticize the congressman's voting record and perceived deference to corporate and Trump-era demands. He quipped that "Rogers" seems to answer every favor with an unquestioning assent.
"'Mike, we need you to put a data center in the backyard.' 'Roger!'
"'Mike, we need you to hike their prescription drug prices.' 'Roger!'
"'Mike, we need you to rubber-stamp this war we shouldn't be fighting.' 'Roger!'
"'Mike, I need you to lick these boots.' 'Roger!'"
El-Sayed's remarks come amid a competitive Michigan Senate campaign in which debates over identity, rhetoric and policy are prominent. The exchange illustrates how personal attacks and cultural signals are being used as campaign tactics on both sides.
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