Fane urges Republicans to use Abdulrahman Al-Sayed as a "negative example" in their election campaigns
U.S. Vice President JD Vance urged Republican members of the House of Representatives to use Abdulrahman Al-Said, the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, as a tool in their election campaigns and as a “negative comparison,” particularly if they are facing Democratic opponents who are “not extremely crazy” and do not provide sufficient material for attacks.
This came during a closed-door party meeting held on Tuesday, approximately 49 days before the midterm elections.
According to a recording of the meeting obtained by CNN, Vance said: “If you are one of the few Republicans running against a Democrat who is not extremely crazy, all you have to do is talk about Abdulrahman Al-Said. He has enough material for the entire country.”
Vance also criticized James Talarico, the Democratic candidate from Texas, stating, “He has said a lot of strange things. And to be honest, this applies to many of these candidates.”
Vance had repeatedly attacked Al-Said, even describing him as a “villain,” during a visit to Michigan last month. The Democratic candidate responded to those remarks by arguing that it is the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump and the Republicans who are practicing evil.
Vance also extensively criticized Talarico during his speech at last week’s midterm election conference.
Regarding the economic situation, Vance acknowledged that voters are feeling frustrated and called on Republicans to be honest with them about these issues, rather than pretending that everything is going well.
He said, “People are not stupid,” adding that Republicans need to explain what the administration has done over the past 18 months to improve their conditions.
At the same time, Vance blamed the Democrats for the economic problems inherited by the Trump administration, stating, “The American people realize that you, or we all, inherited a catastrophic and extremely disgusting situation, but we have cleaned it up and significantly improved conditions.”
Vance’s remarks come as Trump faces declining voter approval ratings regarding his economic performance. A CNN poll conducted in July showed that 65 percent of Americans believe the president’s policies have made the economic situation worse, while 73 percent said Trump has not paid sufficient attention to the country’s most important issues.
Vance also urged Republicans in safe districts to help other party candidates raise funds, announcing a goal of raising $10 billion for Republican candidates during the final weeks of the campaign.
Motivating the lawmakers, he said, “This goal is achievable, but you must realize that this money allows us to counter extreme left-wing media.”
