Today, Abdul El-Sayed met with Michigan Jewish Democrats to assuage some concerns they rightly have with him.
Today @AbdulElSayed addressed the Michigan Jewish Democratic Caucus
— Jonathan Cohn (@CitizenCohn) August 30, 2026
Was a private meeting, campaign has now provided audio to reporters
He cited Tikkun Olam and similarities to an Islamic concept calling on people to repair the world, then said the following: pic.twitter.com/dYSPUEcnB4
Scoop in @playbookdc: Abdul El-Sayed is expected to address concerns from Jewish leaders at the Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus Summer Simcah Sunday celebration tomorrow, per 2 senior MI Democrats. pic.twitter.com/upLLzhRBjh
— Adam Wren (@adamwren) August 29, 2026
After an attack on a Michigan synagogue, El-Sayed made his infamous 'hurt people, hurt people' comment and since then, Jewish Democrats have been less than enthusiastic about El-Sayed.
There’s obviously a group of Democratic voting Jews in Michigan who will never vote for El-Sayed but there’s almost certainly a larger group that wants to get to yes and El-Sayed is doing what he can to reach them https://t.co/0gEXDP77Fv
— Matthew Zeitlin (@MattZeitlin) August 30, 2026
Some people who aren't Jewish, but apparently are Democrats think his apology was sufficient. It really seemed he was saying not much of anything.
So, he stands my his comments, but made a mistake by saying them when he did. Got it. https://t.co/pAe7RzCou4
— Margot Cleveland (@ProfMJCleveland) August 31, 2026
Basically, he's saying "what I said was true, but it was bad timing". Kind of like telling someone their breath smells while they are having a heart attack or something.
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Good, tact statement. Doesn't cower away from what he said, realizes it was said at an inopportune time when emotions were high, but that the context was still relevant to what had happened on that day-- all of these things are true, and can build a bridge with those willing. https://t.co/ccIt3MqLjU
— Abu Shiyu'i, Stepson of a National Hero (@AbiShuuwi) August 30, 2026
El-Sayed fans seem to think it was a great statement. It was a whole bunch of word salad.
He still doesn't get it. From his apology, he still conflates a Hezbollah terrorist being killed as a somewhat justification for the Temple Israel attack. He's apologizing that Jews were offended, not his words. He should not be anywhere near the United States Senate. https://t.co/4JQUG5qgKo
— The Jewish Idea (@TheJewishIdea) August 30, 2026
That's exactly what he is doing.
I really don't think their problem was the timing of what he said.
— Ben Shapiro's Biceps 💪🍋🔆 (@conro) August 30, 2026
Putting out a statement to justify the decisions of a man ramming a car into Temple Israel by stating that man's family was killed in Lebanon by Israel shouldn't have happened at all. https://t.co/5uoBXbTQuq
That's the part El-Sayed and his fans don't get.
Maybe I’m just not up to speed on my Tikkun Olam or whatever but I’m not sure it’s ever the right time to “contextualize” a Hezbollah-inspired terrorist attack on a synagogue. https://t.co/1rqXzKEYSc
— Mike Fragoso (@mike_frags) August 31, 2026
That is the correct take.
So El-Sayed stands by what he said about the terrorist attack on the synagogue, he simply “apologizes” for making the comments too early. He’d be fine with them had he waited a few weeks. This guy keeps trying to split the baby in half. https://t.co/gHHq9QwoeJ
— John Aravosis 🇺🇸🇬🇷🏳️🌈 (@aravosis) August 30, 2026
He very clearly doesn't regret the sentiment, just how it was received.