Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers released a video Saturday poking fun at his Democratic opponent Abdul El-Sayed, whose birthday falls on Halloween, by presenting a mock “gift basket” filled with items referencing past controversies from El-Sayed’s campaign.
In the lighthearted clip, filmed with his wife at a rally, Rogers noted the Halloween birthday before pulling items from a basket his wife held, each tied to a jab at El-Sayed.
One item was a package of Dubai chocolate, a nod to questions Rogers has previously raised about El-Sayed’s family property holdings in Saudi Arabia and claims about ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. Rogers also referenced a video that circulated showing El-Sayed on a hot mic making disparaging remarks about Michigan’s Mackinac Island.
Rogers pulled out a toy Ford pickup truck, saying El-Sayed’s campaign had previously suggested that people who drive pickup trucks could be associated with the KKK. Pickup truck manufacturing is a significant part of Michigan’s economy, with Ford headquartered in the state.
He also held up a football, referencing past comments in which El-Sayed criticized football, including the sport in Michigan, as reflecting “toxic masculinity.”
“We’re hoping that he gains some appreciation for what we love right here in Michigan,” Rogers said while holding the football.
Rogers went through several additional items during the video, framing each as a pointed response to past statements or positions attributed to El-Sayed.
The exchange comes amid a closely watched Michigan Senate race that is part of the broader 2026 midterm contests, in which control of Congress is at stake.
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