'If it's real': Michigan Senate fight turns personal as El-Sayed targets Vance with 'paste' jab

WASHINGTON, DC: As the November midterm election approaches, candidates and parties are leaving no stone unturned to secure Senate and House majorities.

In a similar effort, Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed has taken aim at Vice President JD Vance's beard, calling it fake and fixed with “paste.”

Abdul El-Sayed targets JD Vance's 'fake' beard

In an interview with TMZ reporter Jacob Wasserman, posted on X on Friday, September 18, Abdul El-Sayed accused JD Vance of having a fake beard.

Progressive-ideology-aligned Abdul El-Sayed is scheduled to face GOP candidate Mike Rogers in the November election that will decide which party will hold control of the Senate.

El-Sayed mentioned the vice president while he was describing the Democratic candidates he is campaigning alongside this fall.

"Ohio, JD Vance, amped up on TRT with a beard that, you know — I don't know," El-Sayed said. "Frankly, somebody should tell me if it's real."

TRT stands for testosterone replacement therapy, a hormone treatment that raises testosterone levels. El-Sayed offered no evidence in the interview that Vance uses it.

“If I actually met him, I'd be like, all right, let's just actually see," El-Sayed said. "How much paste did you have to put on your face to get that little beard?"

"At least mine- what you see is what you get," he said of his own beard.

"If he thinks that my beard is somehow indicative of my strength, I'm happy to invite him to any weight room in any place," El-Sayed said. "We could do it in DC, and let's see."

"I'd love to see him on a bench. I'd love to see him on a squat," he continued. "I'd love to understand if he's as strong as he likes to pretend."

JD Vance attacked Abdul El-Sayed over facial hair

Personal attacks on facial hair began with Vance’s attack on El-Sayed's beard with a TikTok video on Tuesday.

"So I heard in the state of Michigan they have outlawed patchy beards," Vance said in the clip, climbing into what appears to be a police truck. "Get in, patriots. We're going to arrest Abdul El-Sayed."

Vance has joked before that he "hates good-looking guys with beards," according to HuffPost. In those remarks, he said such men make him feel "jealous."

In additional remarks on Tuesday, Vance urged House Republicans to campaign against El-Sayed instead of focusing on less controversial Democrats.

"He's got enough material for the whole country," Vance said, according to NBC News.