Michigan Democrat Rips Vance's 'Fake' Beard, Demands Bench-Off
Michigan Democrat Rips Vance's 'Fake' Beard, Demands Bench-Off
The News
Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for Michigan's open U.S. Senate seat, accused Vice President JD Vance on Friday of wearing a "fake" beard and being "juiced up" on testosterone replacement therapy — then challenged him to a bench press contest.
El-Sayed made the remarks in an interview, according to Raw Story, which reported he accused Vance of using "paste" to complete his look.
The exchange started with Vance, who mocked El-Sayed's "patchy beard" in a TikTok post, Mediaite reported.
Timeline
Vance repeatedly attacks El-Sayed, Michigan's Democratic Senate nominee, according to Raw Story.
Vance goes after El-Sayed's "patchy beard" in a TikTok post, saying "somebody should tell me if it's real," per WND and Mediaite, framing it as a Michigan campaign "issue."
El-Sayed fires back in an interview, calling Vance's beard fake, claiming the vice president is "juiced up" on TRT, and inviting him into "any weight room," as reported by TMZ and Mediaite.
Reactions
El-Sayed said he would be "happy to invite him to any weight room," per Mediaite — a bench press challenge to the vice president.
Vance's line, per WND, was an invitation of its own: "Somebody should tell me if it's real," he said of his opponent's beard, teeing the subject up as an election issue in Michigan.
The spat drew coverage across the spectrum on Friday, from Raw Story on the left to WND on the right, with TMZ and Mediaite in the middle treating it as the day's political sideshow.
What's Next
Neither man has said the bench-off will actually happen, and no date or venue has been announced.
El-Sayed remains the Democratic nominee for Michigan's open Senate seat, and Vance has been campaigning against him — so the personal attacks are likely to continue through the fall campaign.
More
Michigan's Senate seat is open, making it one of the marquee races of the cycle and a frequent stop for national figures on both sides. A sitting vice president trading insults with a first-time Senate nominee is a measure of how much attention the state is getting.
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Should a sitting vice president trade personal insults with a Senate candidate?
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