Abdul El-Sayed Defends 'Choke Them Out' Rhetoric in 2026 Michigan Senate Race
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 30
Abdul El-Sayed Defends 'Choke Them Out' Rhetoric in 2026 Michigan Senate Race
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 30
Summary
Abdul El-Sayed said Monday he would not apologize for combative anti-Republican language, telling CBS that if opponents "try to bully us," "we hit back" and "I’ll end it."
Major Garrett pressed him on his past line, "When they go low, we take them to the mud and choke them out," as El-Sayed tried to frame the rhetoric as a response to Republican attacks.
The remarks add to scrutiny of a campaign already hit by controversy over scrubbed past comments about defunding the police and his response to a March synagogue attack that "hurt people hurt people."
El-Sayed also brushed off criticism of campaigning with left-wing streamer Hasan Piker, arguing voters should judge candidates by their own words rather than associates’ statements.
The flare-up lands in Michigan’s 2026 Democratic Senate primary, where El-Sayed’s rhetoric and alliances could become liabilities for rivals and Republicans alike.