"Abdul? To me he's Muhammad!": The stormy race for the Senate, and the connection to the Muslim Brotherhood

Democratic Senate candidate in Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed, denies ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, but a post by his half-sister reveals their mother was an activist in the movement. Republicans are attacking, and the race could determine control of the Senate.

Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic Senate candidate from Michigan, denies any connection between himself or his family and the Muslim Brotherhood. However, a post published by his half-sister, Iman Abd al-Hadi, 14 years ago, reveals that their shared mother, Faten al-Qomi, was an activist in the movement in Egypt in the 1970s. The post surfaced a day after El-Sayed denied ties in an interview with NBC. His Republican opponent, Mike Rogers, released a campaign video combining the denial with the posts. El-Sayed claims the attacks are racist and intended to divert the discussion from the cost of living. The race in Michigan is considered critical, as it could determine whether Republicans retain control of the Senate or Democrats flip it. Polls show a slight lead for El-Sayed. Additionally, it was revealed that El-Sayed's mother worked for an Islamic aid organization that was sanctioned for supporting terrorism, although she herself was never prosecuted. El-Sayed has previously expressed support for the revolution in Egypt and President Mohamed Morsi.