Nevada: President Donald Trump attacked Michigan Democratic US Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, repeatedly labeling him a communist and accusing him of hating Jews and Israel during a speech in Las Vegas.
Speaking at an event in Nevada, Trump said polls had incorrectly predicted a comfortable win for El-Sayed in Michigan's Democratic primary. "This guy hates Jews," Trump said of El-Sayed. "He doesn't love Israel. He doesn't love Jewish people, he hates them." Trump offered no evidence for the accusations.
Trump also suggested El-Sayed's primary victory had been narrower than expected and predicted he would lose in November to Republican Mike Rogers. "It was supposed to be a blow away and he almost lost. But he's going to lose to our great candidate," Trump said.
El-Sayed, a 41-year-old doctor, won the Democratic nomination on Tuesday and will face Rogers in a race critical to Democratic hopes of regaining control of the US Senate.
The Republican president repeatedly sought to portray El-Sayed, whose campaign focused on healthcare, the economy and ending unconditional US military aid to Israel, as part of a broader left-wing movement.
El-Sayed's victory has renewed debate within the Democratic Party over whether progressive candidates can win statewide in battleground states. Republicans quickly cast him as too liberal for Michigan, while Democrats, including former primary rival Haley Stevens and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, moved to unite behind his candidacy.
On Wednesday, El-Sayed reached out to Jewish voters, calling them his "sisters and brothers" and pledging that he was committed to their safety.