Cruz warns Americans may die if El-Sayed wins Michigan Senate seat

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas arrived in Grosse Pointe Woods on Wednesday with a new nickname for his opponent, Abdul El-Sayed. At a campaign event outside Detroit, Cruz referred to the Michigan Democrat as a "jihadist leprechaun." The comment arrived as the race entered its final week, with polls indicating a tight contest between El-Sayed and Republican nominee Mike Rogers.

Cruz argued that electing El-Sayed would pose a security risk. He suggested the candidate could receive top-level security clearance and join the Senate Intelligence Committee. "If I am correct that he is a passionate supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood, there is a very real risk that Americans will die as a result," Cruz said. He tied this warning to the group's designation as a terrorist organization by the Trump administration in January.

The Muslim Brotherhood angle has become the centerpiece of the Republican closing message. The claim traces back to posts made in 2012 and 2013 by El-Sayed's half-sister, Fatten Elkomy. She stated their birthmother was active in the group in Egypt during the early 1970s. El-Sayed, who was born in the United States, noted his parents divorced when he was three. He said he was raised by his stepmother and has not discussed his birthmother's past involvement with the group.

El-Sayed has consistently denied any personal membership in the organization. In a recent interview with Fox News, he stated, "I have never been a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, I never will be a member of the Muslim Brotherhood." His campaign called the attacks a "bigoted anti-Muslim smear campaign" intended to distract from economic frustrations. Spokesperson Cole Wozniak said Cruz's comments highlighted the politician's unpopularity and his vote to cut healthcare for Michiganders.

Cruz also cited El-Sayed's past roles to support his argument. He pointed to the candidate's presidency of the Muslim Students' Association at the University of Michigan and a 2011 op-ed supporting protests against Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Cruz referenced an open letter El-Sayed signed in 2012 in support of Mohamed Morsi, Egypt's first democratically elected leader. Morsi represented the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood before being removed by the Egyptian military in July 2013.

Rogers, the Republican candidate, has echoed these themes. He called the Michigan matchup the "most important race in the country" on Wednesday. "The rest of the country is waiting on us to get this right," Rogers said. He described the opposition as "socialism married with that Muslim Brotherhood ideology." Rogers argued that El-Sayed is a liar about his ties to the group and said voters need to know the truth before casting ballots.

The race has drawn national attention as one of the most-watched contests this year. Michigan voted for President Trump in both 2016 and 2024, but elected Democrat Elissa Slotkin to the Senate in 2024. The CBS News Battleground Tracker currently rates the race as a toss-up.

Cruz also warned that if El-Sayed wins, progressive Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez could become the Democratic nominee in 2028. He argued that a divided country would make it easier for Democrats to win in that election cycle. El-Sayed responded to the dual-loyalty argument in Marquette on October 16, stating, "My mom and my sister are not running for office. I'm running for office. Judge me by my actions and my work."