What happened
Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers engaged in a heated debate in Michigan, with El-Sayed refusing to answer whether Iran or Israel poses a greater threat to the United States. El-Sayed called the question a 'dumb question' and argued that both countries have proven 'dangerous in their own way.' The debate saw the two candidates exchange personal insults, with Rogers calling El-Sayed a 'glitchy AI chatbot' and El-Sayed accusing Rogers of being inauthentic and a 'rubber stamp' for President Trump.
The debate covered various topics, including the war in Iran, trade war, immigration, and healthcare. El-Sayed and Rogers also clashed over their personal backgrounds, with Rogers bringing up El-Sayed's mother's work history and El-Sayed pushing back by highlighting his medical degree from Columbia University.
The race between El-Sayed and Rogers is currently a virtual tie, with recent polling putting the candidates one point apart. If elected, El-Sayed would make history as the first Muslim elected to the US Senate. The campaign has drawn national attention, with former Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Barack Obama set to support El-Sayed in the upcoming weeks.
