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Abdul El-Sayed's derogatory remarks against Usha Vance backfiring among Indian-Americans & women: ‘He’s going to see…’

Abdul El-Sayed’s racially insensitive comment aimed at Usha Vance backfires, risking support from Michigan's Indian-American and female voters.

Published on: Aug 29, 2026, 21:03:01 IST
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Radical Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed's racially insensitive remark directed at Second Lady Usha Vance is significantly backfiring, potentially estranging Michigan's 130,000 Indian-Americans and vital female voters, sources informed The Post.

El-Sayed's derogatory remarks about Usha Vance may jeopardize his standing with key Michigan voters. (AFP)
El-Sayed's derogatory remarks about Usha Vance may jeopardize his standing with key Michigan voters. (AFP)

This unsolicited attack on the second lady revealed El-Sayed's personal insecurities, according to a GOP insider, who claimed that the anti-Israel Democrat is exploiting women to project strength when he sarcastically posted on X: “So do we think JD is taking Usha with him back in time to meet Papaw, or no …”

“I think Abdul has a Napoleon complex and he victimizes women to look tough instead of the actual men he claims to have a problem with,” the insider told The Post.

According to sources who spoke to The Post, Vance has yet to respond to the remarks aimed at his wife, but he is expected to take aim at El-Sayed when he visits Michigan on Monday to campaign in the 10th Congressional District close to Detroit.

“For sure” he’s going to come out swinging, state GOP party co-chair Sunny Reddy told The Post. “He’s going to see more reactions from the community,” he stated.

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What is swing state?

The swing state is ranked third in the nation for female voter participation, with 69% of women casting their votes, as reported by Census Bureau data, which is approximately 10 percentage points higher than the national average.

Republicans perceive a chance to attract South Asian voters away from El-Sayed, whose parents are immigrants from Egypt, in a contest against former Representative Mike Rogers (R-Mich.).

El-Sayed is ahead of Rogers by less than one percentage point in the RealClearPolitics average.

Reddy says ‘going to the family and the kids is a disaster’

Reddy, the chair of the Michigan state GOP, stated that family members should not be subjected to scrutiny.

“We may have differences. We attack each other. But going to the family and the kids is a disaster,” he said. “They are not the one running.”

Reddy asserted that El-Sayed's approach would be detrimental to middle-aged women, Indian-Americans, and other ethnic groups, reproaching him for referencing Usha's recent pregnancy in his attacks.

Indian-American leaders seek apology from El-Sayed

"Enough is enough," he stated, noting that the party is in the process of incorporating El-Sayed's remarks into an advertisement. On Friday, the state party along with Indian-American leaders called for El-Sayed to issue an apology.

The Usha flap arises as El-Sayed seeks to shield himself from critics within his own party who are urging him to sever ties with Hasan Piker, who has been accused of antisemitism and stated that “America deserved 9/11.” On Thursday, he was seen alongside Representatives Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), a notable Jewish member of the House, and Debbie Dingell (D-Mich) in Ann Arbor.

  • Shweta Kukreti
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Shweta Kukreti

    Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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