Michigan Senate candidate apologizes for past comments on synagogue attack

Michigan US Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed has apologized for his past comments concerning the March attack on Temple Israel in suburban Detroit. Speaking at a meeting with the state Democratic Party’s Jewish caucus on Saturday, El-Sayed expressed regret for remarks he made following the attempted targeting of the West Bloomfield synagogue preschool.

“

I made a mistake.

El-Sayed had initially stated that "Hurt people hurt people," which he described as an attempt to provide "context" for the attack. Reflecting on these comments, he said on Saturday, "I made a mistake." He added, "If my statement caused pain, I’m sorry. It was not what I intended to do." El-Sayed acknowledged that after an initial statement condemning the attack, his subsequent remarks, which referenced Israel’s war in Lebanon, had alienated Jewish voters.

“

If my statement caused pain, I’m sorry. It was not what I intended to do.

During the meeting, El-Sayed maintained that his push for "context" to the attack was broadly appropriate but not at the moment it occurred. He explained that such "conversations" could happen "in the fullness of time," emphasizing that his intention was not to diminish the pain or justify domestic terrorism.

“

We issued a statement, of course, condemning it, and that just should have been it, full stop.

The apology comes as El-Sayed, a former county health director, engages in new outreach efforts with Jewish voters following his victory in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary. He plans to attend further Jewish community gatherings and has recently minimized some of his past critiques of Israel in his campaign speeches.

“

Sometimes you can’t really see context in the moment of acuity or pain.