Abdul El-Sayed channels Will Smith in warning to GOP opponent in Michigan Senate race
“You know, they think they want to use my whole name against me,” El-Sayed said.
Ryan Cooper 
Democratic Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed brought some Hollywood-style intensity to the campaign trail on Wednesday, issuing a sharp warning to his opponent after coming under fire for his full name.
El-Sayed secured the Democratic nomination after a hard-fought primary victory over Congresswoman Haley Stevens. As the general election kicks off, he is already facing pressure from the campaign of his GOP opponent, Mike Rogers. Supporters of Rogers have been pointedly referring to the candidate by his full name, “Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed.”
Critics and supporters of El-Sayed view the tactic as a calculated attempt to lean into Islamophobia, likening it to the way opponents previously targeted President Barack Obama by emphasizing his middle name. During a campaign kickoff event on Wednesday, El-Sayed addressed the “bitter” primary race against Stevens and pivoted toward unity, despite the tensions that dominated their debate over support for Israel.
A Viral Warning
El-Sayed didn’t hold back when addressing the recent ads from the Rogers camp and their GOP MAGA allies, including Donald Trump. “Because the campaign that Mike Rogers and Donald Trump and their GOP MAGA allies are launching is already more bitter. All you got to do is look at the ads you’re already watching on TV,” El-Sayed told the crowd.
Reflecting on the attempts to weaponize his name, El-Sayed delivered a message directly to Rogers: “You know, they think they want to use my whole name against me. Mike, listen, man, if you can’t say the name -- it’s Abdulrahman -- keep the name out your damn mouth.”
The line drew loud cheers from the audience, echoing the infamous outburst from Will Smith toward Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars, where the actor famously shouted “keep my wife’s name out of your f------ mouth” following a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith. Closing out his remarks, El-Sayed quipped to the crowd, “I’ll be happy to give you lessons.”
