Senator Ted Cruz Alleges Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Said's Ties to Muslim Brotherhood

Republican Senator Ted Cruz has accused Abdul El-Said, the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate from Michigan, of maintaining direct connections with the Muslim Brotherhood, a designated terrorist organization. Cruz claimed during a Senate hearing that El-Said's political rise is backed by a long-established institutional network. Testimony presented to senators revealed that El-Said's father-in-law has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and held a senior position in the Council on American-Islamic Relations, an organization known for its anti-Israel stance.

Cruz warned that El-Said's affiliations with progressive factions and Islamic groups would remain a central issue in the upcoming general election for a pivotal Senate seat that could determine control of the chamber. The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt in 1928 as a pan-Islamic revival movement, has branches across the Middle East, including Hamas. Earlier this year, the U.S. government designated the Brotherhood's branches in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon as terrorist organizations, a category that includes Hamas.

During his campaign, El-Said opposed U.S. military aid to Israel and sharply criticized Israeli actions in Gaza, labeling them "genocide." He also equated Israel's conduct with that of Hamas, intensifying controversy around his candidacy.