El-Sayed Pledges to Protect Jewish Voters Like His Own Kids Amid ‘Concerns’: ‘Highest Commitment I Can Offer’

Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed addressed concerns about his candidacy from Jewish voters on Wednesday by vowing that his “commitment” to their safety is the same as he has to his own kids.

El-Sayed was asked about his controversial “hurt people do hurt people” statement by CBS News’ Ed O’Keefe while giving a press conference in Michigan after winning his primary race against Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI).

El-Sayed made the statement after a March attack at a Michigan synogogue.

O’Keefe asked El-Sayed if he “regrets” the comment amid “concerns” about him from Jewish voters:

What I mean is hurt people hurt people, and maybe if we’re serious about ending the hurt, we should stop hurting people. That’s what I mean.

I condemn the attack. It was a vile, antisemitic attack. And I think it’s important for us to be asking the big picture about what’s happening now.

You’ve got a Republican Party that is morally bankrupt that is actively hurting people. And I think if we’re serious about addressing a lot of the crises as they stand, maybe stop trying to divide people from each other, stop trying to pass policies that have us going to war instead of investing here, stop trying to nickel and dime people at every turn because of the corporations you support and do favors for.

He wrapped up his answer and the press conference by comparing his commitment to the safety of Jewish citizens to his commitment to his own children’s safety:

Look, I stand in solidarity with my Jewish sisters and brothers and we can condemn antisemitism and at the same time we can be talking about how we bring people together.

And we can be talking about everybody’s pain. I think anybody who does not want to do that is not serious about actually addressing the hurt we see across the board.

So I’m trying to unify people around the things that we need and deserve in this country. And, as I said, my commitment to Jewish safety is the same as the commitment I’ve got to my own kids. That’s the highest commitment I can offer as a father.

Ayman Mohamed Ghazali rammed his vehicle into Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan, in March and opened fire before dying by suicide. One security guard was struck by the attacker’s vehicle and dozens of officers were later treated for smoke inhalation after Ghazali’s car caught fire.

“Nothing justifies the heinous attack that we saw on Temple Israel,” El-Sayed said after the attack. “I also think it’s just critical for us to understand that hurt people do hurt people, and the circumstances happening 6,000 miles away can affect the lives that we live here, and if we stand against violence, we’ve got to stand against violence, all violence.”

Watch above via CNN.

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