Public disputes concerning the 2026 U.S. midterm election cycle, including campaigns, candidates, conventions, advertising, endorsements, and election-related policy promises.
Case
After the Temple Israel attack, Abdul El-Sayed condemned antisemitism but linked the assailant’s actions to an Israeli airstrike that killed relatives, describing violence as a cycle. Critics said it rationalized the attack or shifted responsibility; El-Sayed denied justification and later apologized for adding context.
Role at the time: Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Georgia
Responding to
Did Mike Collins support compensation for January 6 defendants?
"“A lot of things have been politicized and weaponized. And when the federal government harms you, then yes, they have a liability to you. That’s easy, yes sir.”"
Collins’s answer is conditional on government harm and responds to a question broader than January 6 defendants, but the question was posed by a pardoned January 6 defendant who explicitly included January 6 participants.
Role at the time: Republican political strategist and CNN political commentator
Responding to
El-Sayed's cycle-of-violence framing rationalized the antisemitic attack or improperly shifted explanatory responsibility toward Israel and Jews.
"That's how you would justify any and all political violence. That is a dangerous mindset."
The statement directly rejects the explanation-versus-justification distinction at the center of the dispute.
Role at the time: Jon Ossoff U.S. Senate campaign
Responding to
Did Jon Ossoff’s Social Security ad fairly represent Mike Collins’s radio interview?
"“He wants to push you off Social Security.”"
The campaign uses the excerpt to make a critical policy characterization of Collins’s position on Social Security.
Role at the time: Spokesperson for Mike Rogers’s U.S. Senate campaign
Responding to
Abdul El-Sayed believes the United States deserved the September 11 attacks.
"Abdul was asked point blank if he’d disavow Hasan Piker’s comments, and he wouldn’t do it."
She supplied the campaign’s rationale for the accusation in a direct response to a request for evidence.
Role at the time: Pod Save America co-host and political strategist analyzing a Republican campaign ad
Responding to
Mike Rogers’s 9/11 accusation against Abdul El-Sayed
"It's not the best version of that ad, but I understand the argument."
His qualified argument concerns how the campaign ad might persuade voters. It is not support for Rogers’s claim that El-Sayed believed America deserved the attacks. The wording and speaker sequence were checked against the official full audio.
Role at the time: Pod Save America co-host discussing the general-election attack strategy
Responding to
Mike Rogers’s 9/11 accusation against Abdul El-Sayed
"I think you got to pick one."
He criticizes how the attack is constructed while acknowledging why campaigns combine unpopular associations. The classification concerns his qualified assessment of the ad, not endorsement or rejection of the belief Rogers attributed to El-Sayed. The wording and speaker sequence were checked against the official full audio.
Role at the time: Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Michigan, interviewed by Jacob Soboroff on All In
Responding to
Abdul El-Sayed believes the United States deserved the September 11 attacks.
"So they’re going to use Islamophobia because their ideas are tired."
The direct interview condemns divisive campaign conduct rather than just correcting attribution. Original reporting ties the answer specifically to the accusation; broader criticisms do not erase that link.
Role at the time: Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Michigan, issuing an official campaign statement
Responding to
Abdul El-Sayed believes the United States deserved the September 11 attacks.
"Never in a million years did I think that I would be running against someone who believes America deserved 9/11."
The accusation is an explicit adverse judgment about El-Sayed’s beliefs and fitness for office.
Role at the time: Democratic U.S. Senate candidate in Michigan, interviewed on Fox & Friends
Responding to
Appearing at a political event with Hasan Piker does not establish agreement with all of Piker’s statements.
"Of course I don’t think 9/11 was justified."
He combined rejection of the underlying sentiment with a defense of the campaign appearance; neither unconditional endorsement nor complete disavowal describes both parts.
Role at the time: Host of The Bulwark Podcast
Responding to
El-Sayed's cycle-of-violence framing rationalized the antisemitic attack or improperly shifted explanatory responsibility toward Israel and Jews.
"Anyone who would think a statement condemning a terorrist attack on a synagogue is a 'risk' is insane and should be fired from the campaign."
The authored post directly rejects the political hesitation surrounding condemnation of the attack.
Role at the time: Republican U.S. Senate candidate in Michigan
Responding to
El-Sayed's cycle-of-violence framing rationalized the antisemitic attack or improperly shifted explanatory responsibility toward Israel and Jews.
"If you're having a moral crisis over whether to condemn terrorism, you're unfit for office."
The statement treats El-Sayed's contextualization as disqualifying sympathy for the assailant.
Role at the time: U.S. Senate candidate in Michigan
Responding to
The Temple Israel attack should be understood in part through the cycle of violence created by the regional war and the Israeli airstrike that killed members of the assailant's family.
"It was a risk."
On the recorded campaign call he positively justifies publishing his explanation as principled leadership. This is substantive defense of his decision, not merely disputing a label.
Reem Ibrahim is a writer, broadcaster, and research fellow in policy and media at Reason, covering regulation, trade, and economic freedom. She previously worked at the Institute of Economic Affairs in London and is a graduate of the London School of Economics and Political Science.
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Evan Kilgore is an American conservative commentator and social media personality. His commentary addresses United States politics, religion, and national identity, and he describes himself publicly as an American exceptionalist.
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Bernie Moreno is a Republican U.S. senator representing Ohio, serving in the Senate since 2025. Before entering elected office, he operated automobile dealerships in Ohio and co-founded CHAMP Titles, a company that develops digital vehicle-title systems.
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Catherine Rampell is an economics journalist and commentator, economics editor at The Bulwark, and an anchor at MS NOW. Her work focuses on economics, politics, public policy, and immigration. She previously wrote an opinion column for The Washington Post and reported for The New York Times and PBS NewsHour.
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Sam Stein is a political journalist and managing editor at The Bulwark. He previously served as politics editor at The Daily Beast and oversaw White House and campaign reporting at Politico, after beginning his journalism career at HuffPost.
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James Fishback is an American businessman and Republican political commentator who ran for governor of Florida in 2026.
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Far-right political activist, commentator, and ally of President Donald Trump.
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Democratic U.S. representative from Pennsylvania.
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Will Sommer is a journalist and senior reporter at The Bulwark. He writes the False Flag newsletter and is the author of Trust the Plan.
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Sonny Bunch is a film critic and culture editor at The Bulwark. His work covers movies and the entertainment industry.
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John Day is a New Mexico-based attorney who provides legal analysis in Associated Press reporting.
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Marc Goldwein is senior vice president and senior policy director at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, where his work focuses on fiscal policy and the federal budget. He also teaches economics at Johns Hopkins University and the University of California's Washington program.
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