Now Deleted Video Shows Democrat Candidate’s True Feelings On July 4
Far-left U.S. Senate nominee Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed (D-MI) reportedly questioned the tradition of Fourth of July fireworks in a YouTube video that has since been removed from public view, according to CNN. The video, originally posted in July 2024, reportedly laid out four reasons why fireworks “suck” and asked whether Americans could find another way […]
Far-left U.S. Senate nominee Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed (D-MI) reportedly questioned the tradition of Fourth of July fireworks in a YouTube video that has since been removed from public view, according to CNN.
The video, originally posted in July 2024, reportedly laid out four reasons why fireworks “suck” and asked whether Americans could find another way to celebrate Independence Day. El-Sayed cited concerns about air quality following fireworks displays in Detroit, chemicals used in fireworks, the potential impact on veterans with PTSD, and possible dangers to children and pets.
El-Sayed recently defeated establishment-backed Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, securing the nomination in a race that highlighted divisions between the party’s progressive wing and its more traditional establishment.
According to CNN, the fireworks video was one of several older clips that were later made private. Other videos reportedly showed El-Sayed dismissing the southern border as being outside the five biggest concerns facing Americans and criticizing Republicans for placing so much attention on immigration enforcement.
In another clip, El-Sayed reportedly raised the possibility of replacing the Second Amendment’s constitutional protection of the right to bear arms with a constitutional right to health care.
The collection of old videos gives Republicans a substantial archive of El-Sayed’s past comments as they work to portray him as politically and culturally outside Michigan’s mainstream. His years as a podcaster, commentator, and frequent social media user have produced a long public record that is now receiving renewed attention during the general election campaign.
El-Sayed has also faced criticism over previous remarks about policing. Audio that surfaced earlier this summer appeared to show him expressing support for efforts associated with defunding the police, despite later disputes over how his position had been characterized.
He has drawn attention for comments about American football as well. El-Sayed previously argued that “toxic masculinity” influences the sport and said the broader culture surrounding athletics can include misogyny, racism, and homophobia.
His progressive allies have embraced his candidacy. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), one of the best-known figures on the Democratic left, recently said El-Sayed “represents the politics of the future.”
Republicans have offered a very different assessment.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) recently called El-Sayed a “true radical” and criticized his positions on immigration, taxation, and law enforcement. Cotton accused El-Sayed of wanting to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement and weaken border enforcement while supporting sharply higher taxes.
El-Sayed will face Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan’s November Senate election, and Rogers has already made El-Sayed’s ideology a central part of his campaign.
Following El-Sayed’s primary victory, Rogers said his Democratic opponent was “an extremist” rather than simply another liberal candidate. Rogers accused El-Sayed of supporting policies that would reduce prison populations in ways that could endanger public safety, and he also criticized El-Sayed over his associations and previous statements involving the Muslim Brotherhood.
Rogers further argued that El-Sayed’s economic agenda would significantly increase taxes on Michigan families.
“Abdul doesn’t represent a vision for the future,” Rogers said after the primary. “He’s leading a movement grounded in ideological fanaticism.”
With the primary over, the contest between Rogers and El-Sayed is now shaping up as a sharp ideological fight. Republicans are expected to continue highlighting El-Sayed’s extensive record of interviews, podcasts, speeches, and social media posts, while El-Sayed and his supporters are likely to present his positions as part of a broader progressive agenda focused on health care, economic policy, and institutional reform.