JD Vance Rips ‘Very Evil’ Abdul El-Sayed at Michigan Rally, Defends Wife Usha

Vice President JD Vance unleashed a blistering attack on Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed during a campaign rally in Michigan on Monday, calling him “very, very evil” while forcefully defending his wife, Usha Vance, from the Democrat’s recent remarks.

Vance traveled to Sterling Heights to campaign for Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers and GOP gubernatorial nominee John James as Republicans intensify their push to win two of Michigan’s biggest races in November.

Much of Vance’s criticism focused on El-Sayed, who recently invoked Usha while attacking the vice president over comments involving his late grandfather, whom Vance affectionately called “Papaw.”

The dispute began after Vance said he wished he could go back in time and tell his grandfather about a political candidate who, according to Vance, defended Sharia law and portrayed criticism of it as white supremacy.

El-Sayed responded by bringing Usha into the dispute, asking whether Vance would take his wife “back in time to meet Papaw.” Usha is Indian-American and Hindu.

Vance made clear Monday that he considered the comment an unacceptable personal attack on his family.

“Abdul, keep my wife’s name the hell out of your mouth, because she’s way out of your league,” Vance told the cheering crowd.

The vice president said El-Sayed should debate public policy rather than bringing a candidate’s spouse into the campaign. He argued that Michigan voters are more interested in issues such as manufacturing, wages and protecting auto workers than personal attacks against his family.

Vance then broadened his criticism, accusing El-Sayed of representing a divisive style of politics that separates Americans according to their race, religion or ethnic background.

“There’s something about Abdul El-Sayed that is very, very evil and on the rise in the United States of America today,” Vance said.

Vance accused El-Sayed of showing sympathy toward certain groups while failing to demonstrate the same concern for Americans outside those groups. He argued that political leaders should represent everyone regardless of whether they are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, white, Black or brown.

The vice president also attacked El-Sayed over his association with left-wing commentator Hasan Piker, who has faced years of criticism over past remarks saying America “deserved 9/11.” El-Sayed has faced pressure over his decision not to unequivocally condemn Piker.

Vance contrasted that controversy with what he described as the patriotic unity represented by supporters attending Monday’s rally. He argued that Americans from different religious and racial backgrounds should be united by their country rather than divided into competing political groups.

El-Sayed fired back by accusing Vance and Republicans of distracting voters from economic issues. The Democrat argued that the real political divide is between working Americans and wealthy interests, while continuing to campaign heavily on healthcare and affordability.

The increasingly personal confrontation comes as Michigan emerges as one of the most important battlegrounds of the 2026 midterm elections. Rogers is facing El-Sayed for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters.

Republicans view the contest as one of their best opportunities to strengthen their position in the Senate, while Democrats are fighting to prevent Trump-backed candidates from gaining additional ground in a state that remains closely divided politically.

Vance left little doubt about how Republicans intend to frame the choice. He portrayed Rogers as a candidate who will represent Michiganders across racial and religious lines while casting El-Sayed as a divisive progressive whose politics threaten national unity.

And when it came to attacks involving his wife, Vance delivered an even simpler warning to his Democratic rival: leave Usha out of it.