El-Sayed’s ‘Papaw’ Joke on Usha Vance Backfiring in Michigan Senate Race

Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed’s social media post about Second Lady Usha Vance is backfiring and threatening to cost him support among state Indian American and female voters, according to Republican insiders.

The candidate currently leads former Rep. Mike Rogers by less than a percentage point in the RealClearPolitics polling average for Michigan’s open Senate seat, one of the contests that will determine control of the chamber.

Michigan is home to roughly 130,000 Indian Americans and ranks third nationally in female voter turnout, with 69% of women casting ballots—about 10 points above the national average according to Census Bureau data.

El-Sayed wrote on X: “So do we think JD is taking Usha with him back in time to meet Papaw, or no …”

In Vice President JD Vance’s terminology, “Papaw” refers to his grandfather who helped raise him. In his 2016 memoir “Hillbilly Elegy,” Vance wrote that it was “one of the great regrets of my life that Mamaw and Papaw never met” his Indian American wife. Republicans interpret the post as suggesting Vance’s family would have rejected her over her heritage.

A Republican operative described El-Sayed as having a “Napoleon complex” who “victimizes women to look tough instead of the actual men he claims to have a problem with.”

State Republican Party co-chair Sunny Reddy warned that the remark could drive away middle-aged women, Indian Americans, and other ethnic voters.

“We may have differences. We attack each other,” Reddy said. “But going to the family and the kids is a disaster. They are not the one running.”

Reddy indicated that the state party has already produced an advertisement targeting the post and that he, along with Indian American community leaders, called for an apology.

Republicans anticipate Vance will address the issue Monday during his campaign stop in Michigan’s 10th Congressional District near Detroit. The vice president has not publicly responded to the criticism.

During a recent “Fox & Friends” interview, Usha Vance remarked she “kind of laughed” and described her husband’s family as loving toward her—a response Republicans said softened the attack.

Reddy also cited an April podcast appearance where El-Sayed speculated about Usha Vance’s private thoughts regarding her husband and referenced her pregnancy.

El-Sayed posted the message following Usha Vance’s accusation that he labeled critics of Sharia law as white supremacists. He stated his point was aimed at Vance’s rhetoric concerning who counts as American.