Vance contrasted those views with the values of his grandfather, whom he affectionately refers to as his “Papaw,” arguing that the idea would have been completely unfamiliar to the world in which his family lived.
El-Sayed responded by bringing Vance’s wife, Usha Vance, into the exchange and referencing her Indian heritage.
“So do we think JD is taking Usha with him back in time to meet Papaw, or no…”
The post quickly sparked backlash online.
El-Sayed’s campaign did not respond to a request from Fox News Digital seeking clarification about what he intended to convey.
Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, was among those who challenged the implication behind the message.
“Why does Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed just assume that all White midwestern grandparents are racist?”
Commentator Ryan Girdusky also criticized the Michigan Senate hopeful, arguing that the post appeared to paint rural Americans with a broad brush.
“If you’re a rural White American living in Michigan, just remember El-Sayed believes you’re a racist,” Girdusky said.
Former Florida state Rep. Ben Graber took particular issue with El-Sayed bringing the vice president’s wife into the political dispute.
“El Sayed is now attacking Wives [sic] of US leaders? What a guy,” Graber said on X.
Journalist Emily Schrader was even more direct in her response.
“You are a racist creep,” she wrote.
A social media account operated by Democrats supporting Rogers also seized on the controversy, accusing El-Sayed of demonstrating hostility toward women.
“This is why there were ads in the primary correctly highlighting how sexist and misogynistic Abdul is,” the account said. “He has so much contempt for women. If you’re over the politics of division. Reject Abdul El-Sayed.”
But the controversy surrounding El-Sayed’s posts did not stop with Usha Vance.
Earlier Saturday, the Senate candidate also took a shot at Natalie Harp, a White House aide to President Donald Trump who has been the subject of online speculation and attacks from left-wing media figures and Democratic activists.
The exchange followed criticism from Trump, who attacked El-Sayed at a rally over his association with far-left streamer Hasan Piker. Piker has previously generated controversy for saying that “America deserved 9/11.”
El-Sayed responded by addressing Harp directly.
“Natalie, I think he’s had a little too much iPad for the week. He needs his rest,” El-Sayed said.
The back-to-back posts targeting two women connected to prominent Republican figures quickly became a focal point for GOP critics.
Republican strategist Matt Whitlock shared screenshots of the posts and blasted what he described as a series of poor political decisions.
“This is what I’m talking about,” Whitlock said. “Just a bad campaign, bad candidate, bad instincts. Sitting at home on a Saturday morning tweeting bad takes that any normal campaign would shut down.”
Former Michigan gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon raised perhaps the most pointed question of the day, arguing that El-Sayed’s willingness to target women outside his direct political contest could raise broader concerns about his temperament.
“He goes after Usha. He goes after Natalie [Harp]. This coward picks on women who are not in his fight. Imagine how he would treat female staffers in the halls of Congress,” Dixon said.
The dispute now gives Rogers’ allies and other Republicans another line of attack as Michigan’s Senate race moves closer to Election Day.
El-Sayed may have intended his posts as sharp political commentary, but the reaction demonstrated how quickly a social media jab can become a larger question about judgment, character, and campaign discipline.
For critics, the issue was not simply that El-Sayed exchanged fire with JD Vance or Donald Trump. They argued that he chose instead to pull women who were not his direct political opponents into the confrontation.
With the Michigan Senate contest expected to draw national attention, El-Sayed’s social media activity is likely to receive even closer scrutiny in the months ahead.
El Sayed does like women so he may like men better
El Sayed does not like women so he may like men better