Abdul El Sayed, a Democratic Senate candidate in Michigan, is receiving criticism from party members following remarks made during a donor call where he suggested that moving the Democratic Party further left would require putting 'one ogre on a pike.' In the call, El Sayed expressed that winning the Michigan Senate race would provide him a platform to challenge more moderate Democrats, including a potential primary against Senator John Fetterman in 2028.
El Sayed's comments have drawn backlash, with Representative Hillary Scholten stating that 'violent, vulgar threats have no place in a democratic electoral contest.' A spokesperson for El Sayed clarified that he was speaking metaphorically regarding primary challenges. Some Democrats interpreted the 'ogre' remark as a reference to his primary opponent, Representative Haley Stevens, despite El Sayed not mentioning her directly.
Neera Tanden, president of the Center for American Progress, criticized the comment as sexist, while Melissa Byrne, a former aide to Senator Bernie Sanders, labeled it an 'unforced error.' The remarks come ahead of a scheduled debate between El Sayed and Stevens before the upcoming primary on August 4.