"He gets money from people who support, openly, Hamas, Hezbollah, Al-Qaeda."
minute read
Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers confronted Democrat Abdul El-Sayed over his positions on Hamas, Israel, and Iran, as well as his family ties to terror, during a heated Michigan Senate debate Thursday night, accusing his opponent of misleading voters and calling him a "con man." The two men even argued with each other during commercial breaks, the moderator said.
The showdown in Grand Rapids quickly turned personal as Rogers challenged El-Sayed's credibility, political associations, and financial dealings, while the Democrat attacked Rogers' corporate connections and support for President Donald Trump.
"He's lying. So, he lied about being a physician. He lied now about being an Egyptian citizen or not being an Egyptian citizen," Rogers said. "That's a con man."
Trump spoke out in favor of Rogers, saying "Mike Rogers, the great American Patriot and Republican Candidate for the U.S. Senate from Michigan, completely obliterated Mohammed El-Sayed in the big debate tonight. If this was a fight they would have stopped it. Mohammed is a Jihadist lunatic who hates our Country, the Black People of Detroit, and wants to see the U.S. fail. Short on Stature, Patriotism, and Truth, Mohammed’s statements have been loaded up with lies and deceit. I won Michigan BIG, and know that Mike Rogers, a total winner, is the man for you!!!"
Rogers further challenged El-Sayed's description of himself as a physician, pointing out that he has never held a medical license in Michigan or New York despite earning a medical degree from Columbia University. "Well, he's not really a doctor. He says he's a physician," Rogers said. "[As a] matter of fact, if somebody came into his office and he tried to treat that patient, he'd go to jail."
"Listen to this guy and what he's trying to sell here today," Rogers continued. "You're going to find out that this guy is not what he says he is. He is actually selling the best con I think I've ever seen."
Rogers also confronted El-Sayed over his positions on terrorist organizations and his political associations. "He can’t condemn Hamas, he can’t condemn the Muslim Brotherhood," Rogers charged.
"He gets money from people who support, openly, Hamas, Hezbollah, Al-Qaeda," Rogers alleged.
The Republican questioned El-Sayed over his willingness to condemn Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a US-designated terrorist organization, and raised allegations involving supporters allegedly connected to organizations sympathetic to terrorist groups.
Rogers also confronted El-Sayed over his mother's employment with the Islamic American Relief Agency, which the US Treasury Department designated in 2004 for supporting terrorism, including al-Qaeda.
"Are you going after my mom?" El-Sayed demanded.
"I was going after that organization that was indicted for funneling money to al-Qaeda," Rogers responded. "Look, that’s your mom. My mom worked at a small local chamber of commerce. I’ll put my mom up any day for that."
Rogers also criticized El-Sayed for failing to commemorate the third anniversary of Hamas' October 7, 2023, massacre, when terrorists murdered approximately 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 others.
El-Sayed has also faced scrutiny over his association with far-left streamer Hasan Piker, who previously said America deserved the September 11 terrorist attacks. El-Sayed has denounced those remarks.
The candidates' sharpest foreign policy disagreement emerged when they were asked whether the United States should provide defensive weapons to Israel if the Jewish state were attacked by Iran or another country. "I don't want our tax dollars buying weapons for other countries. I don't know what's so hard about that," El-Sayed said, before saying he would not provide defensive weapons to the Jewish state. When pressed to identify whether Israel or Iran posed the greater threat to the United States, El-Sayed declined to choose. "I think both of them have proven dangerous in their own way," El-Sayed said. "One at risk of attacking us, one getting us into wars. We have no business fighting."
Rogers, a former FBI agent and chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, defended America's alliance with Israel and supported providing defensive weapons to the Jewish state.
The candidates also clashed over Iran's nuclear ambitions. Rogers insisted Tehran must never obtain a nuclear weapon, while El-Sayed argued diplomacy could end the conflict even if Iran retained the capability to produce one.
El-Sayed reiterated his support for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), while maintaining that the country should secure its borders. Rogers defended immigration enforcement and invoked the murder of Ruby Garcia, a Grand Rapids woman killed by Brandon Ortiz-Vite, a Mexican national who had previously been deported.
The candidates also traded accusations over their finances. El-Sayed accused Rogers of profiting from corporate relationships after leaving Congress and questioned his Florida property and alleged yacht ownership. Rogers denied owning yachts and challenged El-Sayed over alleged overseas property holdings and financial support from billionaires. Rogers pointed to El-Sayed's alleged homes in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai and Pakistan, contrasting them with his own Florida residence. "At least Florida is in the USA!" Rogers declared.
El-Sayed has separately faced scrutiny over a Wayne County consulting arrangement that reportedly paid him $9,000 monthly for 30 hours of work after he launched his Senate campaign.
On economic policy, El-Sayed expressed openness to federal price controls on domestically produced oil to address rising gasoline prices. "Look, I definitely think that's something we should consider," El-Sayed said. Rogers rejected price controls, advocating temporary gasoline tax relief and diesel rebates.
Healthcare also sparked disagreement. El-Sayed defended his Medicare-for-all proposal, insisting Americans could retain private insurance, while Rogers argued the plan would eliminate existing private coverage and require significant tax increases.
The candidates also disagreed over the approximately $40 trillion national debt, with Rogers calling for reductions in government waste and fraud and El-Sayed advocating higher taxes on billionaires.
The exchanges became so contentious that moderator Rick Albin repeatedly intervened. "Look, here's the situation. We've got dozens of questions we want to get to. You can't litigate all of these with 14 different rebuttals," Albin told them. Following a commercial break, Albin remarked that in 30 years of moderating debates, he had never witnessed candidates continue arguing throughout a break.
The showdown in Grand Rapids quickly turned personal as Rogers challenged El-Sayed's credibility, political associations, and financial dealings, while the Democrat attacked Rogers' corporate connections and support for President Donald Trump.
"He's lying. So, he lied about being a physician. He lied now about being an Egyptian citizen or not being an Egyptian citizen," Rogers said. "That's a con man."
Trump spoke out in favor of Rogers, saying "Mike Rogers, the great American Patriot and Republican Candidate for the U.S. Senate from Michigan, completely obliterated Mohammed El-Sayed in the big debate tonight. If this was a fight they would have stopped it. Mohammed is a Jihadist lunatic who hates our Country, the Black People of Detroit, and wants to see the U.S. fail. Short on Stature, Patriotism, and Truth, Mohammed’s statements have been loaded up with lies and deceit. I won Michigan BIG, and know that Mike Rogers, a total winner, is the man for you!!!"
Rogers further challenged El-Sayed's description of himself as a physician, pointing out that he has never held a medical license in Michigan or New York despite earning a medical degree from Columbia University. "Well, he's not really a doctor. He says he's a physician," Rogers said. "[As a] matter of fact, if somebody came into his office and he tried to treat that patient, he'd go to jail."
"Listen to this guy and what he's trying to sell here today," Rogers continued. "You're going to find out that this guy is not what he says he is. He is actually selling the best con I think I've ever seen."
Rogers also confronted El-Sayed over his positions on terrorist organizations and his political associations. "He can’t condemn Hamas, he can’t condemn the Muslim Brotherhood," Rogers charged.
"He gets money from people who support, openly, Hamas, Hezbollah, Al-Qaeda," Rogers alleged.
The Republican questioned El-Sayed over his willingness to condemn Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a US-designated terrorist organization, and raised allegations involving supporters allegedly connected to organizations sympathetic to terrorist groups.
Rogers also confronted El-Sayed over his mother's employment with the Islamic American Relief Agency, which the US Treasury Department designated in 2004 for supporting terrorism, including al-Qaeda.
"Are you going after my mom?" El-Sayed demanded.
"I was going after that organization that was indicted for funneling money to al-Qaeda," Rogers responded. "Look, that’s your mom. My mom worked at a small local chamber of commerce. I’ll put my mom up any day for that."
Rogers also criticized El-Sayed for failing to commemorate the third anniversary of Hamas' October 7, 2023, massacre, when terrorists murdered approximately 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 others.
El-Sayed has also faced scrutiny over his association with far-left streamer Hasan Piker, who previously said America deserved the September 11 terrorist attacks. El-Sayed has denounced those remarks.
The candidates' sharpest foreign policy disagreement emerged when they were asked whether the United States should provide defensive weapons to Israel if the Jewish state were attacked by Iran or another country. "I don't want our tax dollars buying weapons for other countries. I don't know what's so hard about that," El-Sayed said, before saying he would not provide defensive weapons to the Jewish state. When pressed to identify whether Israel or Iran posed the greater threat to the United States, El-Sayed declined to choose. "I think both of them have proven dangerous in their own way," El-Sayed said. "One at risk of attacking us, one getting us into wars. We have no business fighting."
Rogers, a former FBI agent and chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, defended America's alliance with Israel and supported providing defensive weapons to the Jewish state.
The candidates also clashed over Iran's nuclear ambitions. Rogers insisted Tehran must never obtain a nuclear weapon, while El-Sayed argued diplomacy could end the conflict even if Iran retained the capability to produce one.
El-Sayed reiterated his support for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), while maintaining that the country should secure its borders. Rogers defended immigration enforcement and invoked the murder of Ruby Garcia, a Grand Rapids woman killed by Brandon Ortiz-Vite, a Mexican national who had previously been deported.
The candidates also traded accusations over their finances. El-Sayed accused Rogers of profiting from corporate relationships after leaving Congress and questioned his Florida property and alleged yacht ownership. Rogers denied owning yachts and challenged El-Sayed over alleged overseas property holdings and financial support from billionaires. Rogers pointed to El-Sayed's alleged homes in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai and Pakistan, contrasting them with his own Florida residence. "At least Florida is in the USA!" Rogers declared.
El-Sayed has separately faced scrutiny over a Wayne County consulting arrangement that reportedly paid him $9,000 monthly for 30 hours of work after he launched his Senate campaign.
On economic policy, El-Sayed expressed openness to federal price controls on domestically produced oil to address rising gasoline prices. "Look, I definitely think that's something we should consider," El-Sayed said. Rogers rejected price controls, advocating temporary gasoline tax relief and diesel rebates.
Healthcare also sparked disagreement. El-Sayed defended his Medicare-for-all proposal, insisting Americans could retain private insurance, while Rogers argued the plan would eliminate existing private coverage and require significant tax increases.
The candidates also disagreed over the approximately $40 trillion national debt, with Rogers calling for reductions in government waste and fraud and El-Sayed advocating higher taxes on billionaires.
The exchanges became so contentious that moderator Rick Albin repeatedly intervened. "Look, here's the situation. We've got dozens of questions we want to get to. You can't litigate all of these with 14 different rebuttals," Albin told them. Following a commercial break, Albin remarked that in 30 years of moderating debates, he had never witnessed candidates continue arguing throughout a break.
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