Vance Calls El-Sayed 'Very Evil' at Michigan Rally

Vice President JD Vance delivered a sharp rebuke of Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed during a campaign rally on Monday, August 31, 2026, labeling him "very, very evil" and accusing him of divisive politics. Speaking at a MAGA Inc. event in Sterling Heights, Vance campaigned for Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers and gubernatorial nominee John James, intensifying the GOP's push in key Michigan races ahead of the November midterm elections. Vance's criticism centered on El-Sayed's recent comments and associations. He condemned El-Sayed for his initial response to a March 12, 2026, terrorist attack at Temple Israel synagogue in West Bloomfield, where a gunman killed by law enforcement had targeted a school with dozens of children present. El-Sayed had described the violence as a cycle where "hurt people hurt people," a statement he later apologized for after backlash. Vance argued that El-Sayed showed empathy for the attacker rather than the victims. "What I see is a man who has sympathy and compassion for people who share his religion, but have nothing for people who don't," Vance told the crowd.