President Trump attacked Muslim politicians Abdul El-Sayed and Ilhan Omar at his last two rallies on the campaign trail.
President Donald Trump doubled down on Islamophobic rhetoric and conspiracy theories about the Democratic Party at campaign events in Iowa and Kansas, days before crucial midterm election votes that will determine who controls Congress during the final two years of his presidency.
At both rallies on Sunday, the president repeated his claim that Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is a “jihadist” and joked that if he wins, the Senate would have to install a metal detector and scan him before he can enter the building.
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“There will be 100 senators, and most of them will go directly[to the Senate]…we’ll have to have a special metal detector for Abdul,” Trump said, drawing laughter from the audience.
He also repeated unsubstantiated claims that Mr. El-Sayed is a member of the transnational Muslim Brotherhood, an affiliate of which the United States considers a foreign “terrorist” organization.
At both events, Trump repeatedly urged his supporters to make sure to vote and “pretend it’s on the ballot,” trying to energize Republican voters ahead of an election that could hurt the party in the polls.
Two rallies were canceled last week but suddenly rescheduled. These will be President Trump’s last travel events before the election.
Both speeches were repeatedly interrupted by hecklers.
In Iowa, the president said he was “happy” to switch parties after Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens, who lost to Abdul El-Sayed in the primary, endorsed El-Sayed’s opponent, Republican Mike Rogers.
At both rallies, President Trump targeted Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar. President Trump has claimed, without evidence, that he was previously married to his brother and had a child with him.
In Kansas, President Trump attacked Democratic Senate candidate Pastor Adam Hamilton for his support for transgender rights, calling him a “stiff” who reads his sermons from a teleprompter.
Trump’s two speeches also heavily focused on the U.S.-Israel war against Iran, the cost of living, immigration, media bias against him, and the administration of former President Joe Biden.
Two important races
Iowa and Kansas are primarily represented by Republicans, but polls suggest Democrats could flip both states.
Kansas has five seats in the U.S. Congress up for election in the midterm elections, including one Senate seat and all four House seats. The state last elected a Democratic senator in 1932.
The Senate races in Iowa are too close to call, but polls show that the two contested Iowa House seats are leaning Democratic.
Midterm elections will be held in the United States on November 3rd.
