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MAGE THE PARTY OF FEAR AND HATEDonald Trump’s attacks on Democratic candidates Zohran Mamdani and Abdul El-Sayed have sparked another fierce political backlash, after he described Democrats being elected as “jihadists.” Trump has repeatedly used the term while criticizing the rise of Muslim candidates in American politics.El-Sayed, who recently won Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, responded by turning the attack back toward the issues affecting ordinary Americans. His message was essentially that his name—and his identity—are not responsible for the problems voters are facing.Gas prices, expensive groceries, unaffordable housing, healthcare costs, and decisions to go to war are the result of government policies and political choices, not the name of a political candidate. El-Sayed has previously made that argument directly, saying his name is not raising gas prices, taking the country to war, or making groceries unaffordable.The exchange highlights a growing political divide over whether elections should focus on a candidate’s religion and identity—or on the economic and policy issues affecting Americans.For El-Sayed, the response is clear: if politicians want voters’ attention, they should talk about what they plan to actually do for them.