'Con man' vs 'sock puppet': Michigan Senate rivals trade savage insults as 'glitchy AI chatbot' jab lights up debate

- Sign up to our DC Insider newsletter – your guide to what's rocking Washington, rattling the White House and setting tongues wagging on the Hill Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El–Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers hurled a series of personal insults at each other in a vicious debate Thursday night in their campaign to succeed outgoing Senator Gary Peters in Michigan. asserted

Rogers called his opponent a 'glitchy AI chatbot' and 'bought off by Hamas' while El-Sayed accused Rogers of being inauthentic, and a rubber stamp for President Trump. asserted

Rogers took a shot against El-Sayed's medical license, saying he is 'selling the best con I've ever seen' and that 'he's not really a doctor.' El-Sayed pushed back by highlighting his medical degree from Columbia University, telling Rogers he could take up any issues with his credentials directly with the state licensing board. uncertain

He fired more shots against Rogers, saying he 'wants to be a sock puppet for the administration on Iran,' adding that he is 'weak and 'cowardly.' asserted

Whenever Donald Trump says, jump. asserted

He says, 'How high,' El-Sayed added with a dry laugh. asserted

The two candidates debated on topics including the war in Iran, tariffs, immigration, healthcare and more, talking over the moderator to the point he remarked that he would 'like to be a part of the debate too.' The sharp showdown marks an escalation in an increasingly contentious campaign trail where both candidates have traded sharp broadsides. asserted

The candidates debated on topics including the war in Iran, the trade war, immigration, healthcare and more Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El–Sayed and former Republican Congressman Mike Rogers clashed in their premier debate, launching a battle for the Michigan Senate seat left open by outgoing veteran Senator Gary Peters asserted

Though backed by Trump in his second bid for the US Senate, former Congressman Rogers recently broke ranks with the president over his administration's trade war with Canada Rogers took aim at El-Sayed’s mother’s work history, drawing a sharp retort from the Democrat: ‘Are you going after my mom?’ asserted

‘I’m not going after your mom... asserted

I was going after that organization that was indicted for funneling money to Al Qaeda,’ Rogers shot back. asserted

‘Look, that’s your mom. asserted

My mom worked at the Brighton Chamber of Commerce.’ asserted

Rogers was referring to the Islamic American Relief Agency, a Missouri-based charity where El-Sayed’s biological mother, Fatten Elkomy, worked helping orphans from 1999 to 2004. asserted

The charity pleaded guilty in 2016 to sanctions violations, money-laundering conspiracy and tax obstruction after illegally transferring nearly $1.4 million to Iraq - not to funding al-Qaeda. asserted

El-Sayed's mother was never charged. asserted

Rogers also seized on turnover in El-Sayed’s team. asserted

‘He had a top staffer flee his campaign, talking about how this guy’s a manufactured candidate,’ he said. asserted

‘What he’s basically telling you is he will say anything to win.’ asserted

Rogers has painted his opponent as ‘too extreme,’ while El-Sayed has hammered Rogers over his close alignment with Trump’s agenda. asserted

Rogers skipped a September candidate forum with El-Sayed, prompting the Democrat to quip: ‘If I were him, I wouldn’t debate me either.’ asserted

The race is a virtual tie, with recent polling putting the candidates one point apart. asserted

The Cook Political Report rates it a toss-up, though prediction markets give El-Sayed the edge. asserted

If elected, El–Sayed would make history as the first Muslim elected to the US Senate. asserted

In a controversial late–Wednesday social media post, President Trump targeted El–Sayed directly, referring to the Democratic nominee as 'Mohammed' and alleging he 'goes back to the days of the Jihad'. asserted

'He is a Radical Extremist, Terrorist Sympathizer,' Trump wrote on Truth Social. asserted

El–Sayed, who was born to Egyptian parents, called Trump's post an 'attack on all of us.' 'He thinks he can use my name and my faith to distract us from the suffering his policies are inflicting on us,' he responded. asserted

Both national party heavyweights are leaning heavily into the Rust Belt battleground. asserted

Former Vice President Kamala Harris recently hit the campaign trail in Michigan to support El–Sayed, following up on her endorsement from a month prior. asserted

Looking ahead, former President Barack Obama is slated to headline a campaign rally on Oct. 24, the first day of Michigan's in–person early voting, to back both El–Sayed and Democratic candidate for governor, Jocelyn Benson. asserted

However, new reports have cast a shadow over the upcoming star powered visit. asserted

The showdown marks an escalation in an increasingly contentious campaign trail where both candidates have traded sharp broadsides Rogers previously skipped a September candidate forum with El–Sayed, prompting the Democrat to remark at the time, 'If I were him, I wouldn't debate me either' Both national party heavyweights are leaning heavily into the Rust Belt battleground El-Sayed and former Vice President Kamala Harris participate in a roundtable discussion on reproductive health at Birth Detroit in Detroit, Michigan El-Sayed maintains a slight lead in the polls over Republican and former Congressman Mike Rogers in a key state that Democrats must not lose in order to flip the Senate blue Resurfaced footage, panels and articles unsurfaced by CNN revealed past remarks where El–Sayed harshly criticized Obama, claiming the nation was 'not better off' after eight years of his administration and charging that 'the list of his failures goes on.' asserted

In a series of blistering critiques, El–Sayed took aim at Obama's claim to political fame, dismissing the Affordable Care Act as a 'watered–down reform that kowtows to the interests of healthcare lobbies.' uncertain

He leveled insults against the former president's entire presidential record, taking issue with military drone strikes, growing economic inequality, eroding civil right and the widening reach of counterterrorism operations in Yemen and Pakistan. asserted

In Great Falls Virginia, Obama was asked about his comments during a fireside chat with Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester, saying, 'I'm going to go to Michigan to campaign for Abdul El–Sayed. asserted

But I don't know, he's for a higher minimum wage and health care for all, and it doesn't seem crazy to me. asserted

You know, FDR was for that too.' asserted

While El–Sayed grapples with party fractures on his left, Rogers faces his own balancing act on the right as he seeks distance from key White House policies. asserted

Though backed by Trump in his second bid for the US Senate, former Congressman Rogers recently broke ranks with the president over his administration's trade war with Canada. asserted

Rogers addressed his change in tone on tariffs during the debate tonight, saying he spoke to the Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick this week. ' asserted