Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has officially endorsed Abdul El-Sayed as the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in the state. Her endorsement attracted some criticism, however, as some internet users argued that El-Sayed should not represent Michigan.
Soon after El-Sayed narrowly defeated Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary earlier this week, he received official endorsements from much of the party, including his defeated rival. Whitmer had originally endorsed Stevens but quickly backed El-Sayed following his victory.
On social media, Whitmer congratulated the winners, saying, “Together, let’s stop MAGA Republicans so we can get to work and deliver results for the people of Michigan.”
Michigan Governor Criticized for Supporting El-Sayed
While some folks supported the governor’s decision, many X users were outraged by her endorsement. One of them wrote: “You lost whatever ounce of credibility you had left.”
What irritated some people was how left-leaning they believed El-Sayed to be: “At some point, Democrats are going to need to stand up for the basic ideals that most Americans share and call out Socialism as a failed idea that is contrary to America’s core beliefs. Until then, Democrats are going to lose elections and strengthen the Republican Party.”
Others criticized him based on false rumors that he said the United States deserved the terrorist attacks of 9/11: “You sick people are supporting someone who said America deserved 9/11. Where have the real Democrats gone? Democratic Party is dead.”
Some folks also criticized Whitmer over what they considered a lack of progress during her administration: “Michigan is a mess. Dearborn is not recognizable. What have you done? Democrats are failing the people of Michigan. Sad.”
Someone else wrote: “You made our schools worse. You didn’t fix the roads. You made healthcare here more expensive. You made gas more expensive. You made car insurance more expensive (no-fault reform was TERRIBLE); you have driven jobs out of Michigan.”
One user summarized the overall sentiment among those criticizing Whitmer: “The Democratic Party is dead. It is now the socialist/communist party. It’s sad that the party I used to vote for is crazy.”
It remains to be seen how El-Sayed will fare in the general election. While he has strong support among more left-leaning voters, he has struggled to gain support from independents.
