Tucker Carlson backs Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan Senate race, calls GOP rival ‘unfit to serve’

WASHINGTON, DC: Conservative commentator Tucker Carlson has endorsed Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s Senate race, calling Republican rival Mike Rogers “unfit to serve" and rejecting Rogers’ campaign’s characterization of El-Sayed’s views as “disgusting.” 

 The endorsement came as El-Sayed and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani faced renewed scrutiny from conservatives around the anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

Tucker Carlson defends Abdul El-Sayed on 9/11, Iraq War remarks

Carlson backed El-Sayed in a newsletter published on Friday, September 11, on the 25th anniversary of the tragic attacks, arguing that the Michigan Democrat’s criticism of the Iraq War should not be interpreted as support for the attacks of September 11, 2001.

The endorsement came after Rogers’ campaign criticized El-Sayed’s position as “disgusting.” Carlson directly challenged that characterization while defending El-Sayed’s criticism of the Bush administration’s response to the attacks.

“Hold on a second. Disgusting? Understanding that the Bush administration was wrong to kill hundreds of thousands of people and waste trillions of dollars in Iraq, even though, again, Iraq did not do 9/11, is disgusting?” the former Fox News host wrote. 

“We are really not sure who Mike Rogers is, but if anyone in Michigan’s Senate race is ‘unfit to serve in public office,’ it is him… We hope the good people of Michigan keep this man far away from Washington," he added. 

Carlson also rejected suggestions that El-Sayed had celebrated the attacks, writing, “El-Sayed did not celebrate; he simply said that the US conducting extremism of its own in response to 9/11 was not exactly an appropriate reaction. He is obviously right.” 

The controversy surrounding El-Sayed intensified around the anniversary of the attacks, as Republicans and conservative commentators focused on his previous criticism of the "War on Te**orism." El-Sayed had discussed mourning those killed in the 9/11 attacks while also remembering victims of the wars that followed.

Abdul El-Sayed faces Mike Rogers in key Michigan Senate contest

Carlson’s support comes as El-Sayed campaigns to hold a Senate seat currently held by retiring Democratic Senator Gary Peters. Democrats are seeking to retain Michigan while attempting to regain control of the Senate in the upcoming midterm elections.

El-Sayed emerged from a divisive Democratic primary campaign that included attacks over his views on Israel, the war in Gaza, and his Muslim faith. His campaign has also faced scrutiny over his association with Hasan Piker, a prominent Twitch streamer and political commentator who has faced criticism over his own comments about 9/11.

The Michigan Democrat's campaign has also been compared with that of Mamdani, the first elected Muslim mayor of New York, who also faced criticism and attacks surrounding his Muslim identity.

Both El-Sayed and Mamdani came under renewed scrutiny around the 9/11 anniversary, with conservative critics questioning their views toward the attacks and subsequent US military actions. El-Sayed will face Rogers in the general election as Democrats seek to retain the Michigan Senate seat and Republicans look to expand their majority in the chamber.