Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed told Republican opponent Mike Rogers to pronounce his name correctly or stop saying it entirely.
The exchange highlights growing tensions over identity and cultural respect in the Michigan Senate race following the state's primary elections.
El-Sayed made the comments Tuesday, Aug. 4, immediately after winning the Michigan Democratic Senate primary [1, 2, 3]. The clash follows a series of instances where Rogers, a former congressman, repeatedly mispronounced El-Sayed's name or used his full name as a political jab [4, 5].
Addressing the issue during post-primary campaign events in Michigan, El-Sayed demanded respect for his identity [1, 2, 3]. He told Rogers to learn his name or watch his "damn mouth" [6].
"Pronounce my name right or keep it out your damn mouth," El-Sayed said [5].
The Democratic nominee has framed the issue as a matter of basic respect. He suggested that the repeated mispronunciations were not accidental, but were intended as a political tool to alienate or diminish him [4, 5].
"Keep the name out your damn mouth," El-Sayed said [1].
Rogers has not yet issued a formal response to the specific demand regarding the pronunciation of the nominee's name. The general election cycle now moves forward with El-Sayed representing the progressive wing of the Democratic party in Michigan [3, 7].
“"Pronounce my name right or keep it out your damn mouth."”
This confrontation underscores the role of cultural identity and personal respect as central themes in the Michigan Senate race. By publicly challenging Mike Rogers over the pronunciation of his name, El-Sayed is signaling a refusal to tolerate traditional political tropes that target the heritage of minority candidates, potentially mobilizing a base that views linguistic respect as a proxy for broader civil rights and inclusion.
