Republican nominee for Michigan governor U.S. Rep. John James promised to be a leader who will unify the state at a 9/11 memorial marking the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attack — the day after he released an ad using the occasion to target his Democratic opponent, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, sparking her fierce condemnation.
In the ad, James of Shelby Township, a U.S. Army combat veteran who fought in the Iraq War, says: "I didn't lose my friends overseas to surrender my country to anti-American extremists and leaders too weak to confront them. Jocelyn Benson stands with a radical left that says America deserved 9/11."
The ad shows a picture of Benson standing next to the Democratic nominee for an open U.S. Senate seat in Michigan,
Abdul El-Sayed, who has campaigned with online influencer Hasan Piker who has, according to multiple reports, apologized for the comment on 9/11 that James references in the ad.
And El-Sayed – who faces Republican former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers of White Lake Township in his race – called Piker's comment "dumb" in an August interview on NBC's "Meet the Press."
Benson called the ad "a despicable lie," in a Sept. 10 post on X.
"How dare you, Congressman. My husband enlisted in the Army and put his life on the line for our country after losing his friend, Todd Ouida, in the towers on 9/11," she wrote. "I have never, and would never, campaign with anyone who says something so reprehensible." She called on James to stop airing the ad.
James, instead, doubled down in a post on X. "Spare me your fake outrage. There's nothing real about you."
"You don't get to abet extremism, run on someone else's service and then cry foul when you get called out for your cowardice and gaslighting for the first time in your life," James continued. He called on Benson to disavow Piker — whom Benson has never campaigned alongside — and the Democratic Socialists of America, the progressive group that has helped its members notch major primary wins, including in Michigan.
Neither Benson nor El-Sayed identify themselves as Democratic Socialists, though El-Sayed's platform overlaps with the group on some issues such as Medicare for All and ending unconditional military aid to Israel.
The morning after releasing the ad, the congressman struck a more solemn and sober tone at a 9/11 memorial ceremony at the Detroit River where he joined others in calling for a return to the national unity on display in the immediate aftermath of the attack.
"I think today is a day to remember 25 years ago when we were united as a country. I think we can get back there," he told reporters following the event. He vowed to "continue to live and lead by example to unify this country and unify this state, and I'm excited to hopefully have the opportunity to do that moving forward in the future."
Benson's campaign Press Secretary Rajan Srinivasan said in a statement: "John James is trying to change his tune and falsely promote unity less than 24 hours after being called out for exploiting one of the most tragic days in American history through a deceitful political ad. If James was serious about unity, he would take down his ad and apologize," he said.
Her campaign didn't indicate if Benson attended any memorial 9/11 events but she did say in a post on X, "On this 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, we must never forget who we are when we stand united against hate and division."
However, James has pitched his campaign to lead Michigan as a fight against a Democratic Party he describes as radicalized. In his 9/11 ad, he repeats the refrain, saying, "Now, extremism isn't on our doorstep, it's inside the house," over images of U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Detroit, El-Sayed and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, progressive Democrats.
All three politicians the ad references are also Muslim and have to contend with another legacy of 9/11: A rise in anti-Muslim sentiment in the United States. During his campaign, James has faced accusations of trafficking in Islamophobia.
Contact Clara Hendrickson at chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: James vows unity at 9/11 event after his Benson ad on terrorist attack
