Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers accused Abdul El-Sayed of failing to condemn the man behind March’s Temple Israel attack. Rogers made the claim during a NewsNation interview while criticizing El-Sayed’s rhetoric on violence and antisemitism. Rogers argued that El-Sayed’s rhetoric was contributing to concerns about antisemitism.
The dispute traces back to the March 12 attack at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan. According to the Associated Press, an armed man drove into the synagogue while 140 children were inside its early childhood center. The children and staff were unharmed, although a security officer was temporarily knocked unconscious during the attack.
Rogers characterized the attack as an attempt to kill the 140 children inside, saying Ghazali had driven a vehicle loaded with explosives into the synagogue.
“He couldn’t condemn it,” Rogers said.
Rogers broadened his criticism to antisemitism on college campuses. He said young Jewish women told him they hide their stars while walking to class.
He linked those fears to increased antisemitism on campuses and beyond. Rogers said El-Sayed’s rhetoric “only exacerbates that.”
El-Sayed had addressed the attack before Rogers made those remarks. His campaign released a statement on March 12 calling the attack “horrifying” and rejecting antisemitism.
The following day, El-Sayed directly condemned the attacker in a video.
“I condemn what he did,” El-Sayed said. “There is never a justification for attacking innocent people or houses of worship. Never.”
El-Sayed’s broader response did draw criticism after he discussed the attacker’s reported loss of family members in Lebanon and said “hurt people hurt people.” Temple Israel Rabbi Jen Lader later called that portion of his response “offensive,” while El-Sayed maintained that nothing justified the attack.
Mike Rogers Draws Backlash Over Abdul El-Sayed Synagogue Claim
Rogers’ characterization of El-Sayed’s response drew sharp criticism online, while other users continued questioning El-Sayed.
“You blatantly lie on National TV and then expect people to vote for you?????” one user wrote. Another stated, “There should be consequences for straight up lying on television.”
A separate response said, “You got fact checked. You don’t deserve one vote.” Another wrote, “The fact you feel the need to broadcast lies tells me everything I need to know about you.”
Other responses rejected the criticism of Rogers. One user argued, “What is amazing and dismaying is that many of the comments here actually put up El Sayed’s statement about that is if it exonerates him. It does NOT!”
Another wrote, “We know exactly where El-Sayed stands by who he’s close buddies with.”
The dispute over Rogers’ characterization of El-Sayed’s response remains part of the broader Michigan Senate contest.
