In the critical midterms race for Senate in Michigan, Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed has seemingly gained an unlikely ally: conservative commentator Tucker Carlson.
Carlson has defended El-Sayed over GOP candidate Mike Rogers in recent weeks, marking an even further departure from the Republican Party for the former Fox News host and onetime President Donald Trump confidant.
"I wouldn't vote for Mike Rogers at gunpoint," Carlson said in a Sept. 2 episode of his podcast.
And in a Sept. 11 edition of his newsletter, Carlson defended El-Sayed over criticism from Rogers on comments about the United States' response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
With partisan control of Congress a key outcome in midterm elections, the race between El-Sayed and Rogers
will be pivotal for the Senate, where Republicans currently have a 53-47 seat advantage.
Tucker Carlson defends Abdul El-Sayed over criticism from Mike Rogers
Carlson, writing in a Sept. 11 newsletter, defended El-Sayed over his resurfaced comments about the Sept. 11 attacks and subsequent Iraq War.
In a 2021 podcast episode, El-Sayed said, "9/11 scarred our country in profound ways, but what we did after 9/11 scarred millions of other people. When we talk about 9/11, we often fail to center them."
In his newsletter, Carlson wrote that El-Sayed is "obviously right" in his stance, adding that there is "nothing remotely crazy" about the remarks.
"El-Sayed did not celebrate airplane hijackings or cheerlead Al-Qaeda; he simply said that the U.S. conducting terrorism of its own in response to 9/11 was not exactly an appropriate reaction," Carlson said.
The media personality also went on to react to Rogers' response to the New York Post about El-Sayed's comments. Rogers told the outlet: "Abdul El-Sayed’s attitude towards the worst tragedy in American history is disgusting and makes him completely unfit to serve in public office."
Carlson argued that Rogers' statement shows "he cannot possibly have the judgment necessary to adequately serve the needs of American voters."
"We are really not sure who Mike Rogers is, but if anyone in Michigan’s Senate race is 'unfit to serve in public office,' it is him," he wrote.
USA TODAY has reached out to Rogers' campaign for comment.
Tucker Carlson calls Abdul El-Sayed's campaign 'literally Trumpian'
In a Sept. 2 episode of his podcast, Carlson hurled similar criticism at Rogers.
"There's no one who should be farther from a position of power than Mike Rogers," he said.
When guest Saagar Enjeti called El-Sayed's campaign "almost Trumpian," Carlson responded, "It's literally Trumpian."
Enjeti added, "I would probably bet that he'll win," to which Carlson replied, "I would think so."
El-Sayed responded to Carlson's comments in an appearance on Pod Save America, stopping short to say whether he would welcome the TV personality's endorsement.
"What you get in Tucker Carlson is somebody who's seen up close a lot of the corruption inside MAGA," he said. "And what I think he sees in Mike Rogers is what all of us see in Mike Rogers: somebody whose only interest is power and the money he can make off of power."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tucker Carlson defends Abdul El-Sayed over GOP opponent
