Michigan Governor Whitmer asked whether 'hidden xenophobia' is being tapped in attacks on El-Sayed ahead of Senate race
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer was asked whether Republicans are trying to tap into 'hidden xenophobia' ahead of the Senate election. MS NOW anchor Peter Alexander put the question to Whitmer on Sunday.
In Michigan's US Senate race, Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed is contesting against Republican candidate Mike Rogers. The contest has drawn national attention, and both former President Barack Obama and President Donald Trump have appeared at campaign rallies.
On his show 'State of Play' on Monday, Alexander showed a clip of his weekend interview with Whitmer. In it he asked what the governor thought about the 'ugly recent rhetoric' levelled against El-Sayed by Rogers and Trump, and whether the attacks could be motivated by xenophobia.
Alexander asked directly: 'Do you worry that there is some hidden xenophobia in Michigan right now that Donald Trump and Mike Rogers are trying to tap into?'
Whitmer responded: 'I think that Mike Rogers and Donald Trump hope that there is, and that they're trying to cultivate that.'
Later in the show, Alexander aired more of the interview, including a question about whether Whitmer believed the language Trump used to attack El-Sayed was 'dangerous'. Whitmer agreed that Trump's language was dangerous but added that the bigger issue was Republicans ignoring the state of the economy.
Whitmer said: 'The point is that they're talking about anything other than the cost of living, which has gone up because of the decisions that this administration has made. You ask yourself, are you better off two years ago than you are today? I doubt very many Americans could say that they are.'
Both Trump and Rogers have heavily criticized El-Sayed over allegations involving his family's ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. White House Assistant Press Secretary Olivia Wales said in a comment that President Trump is calling out 'radical extremists' who are stoking division.
