Second lady Usha Vance responded to comments made by Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul el Sayed that critics described as questioning her acceptance by her husband’s family. The remarks followed a campaign event where Vice President JD Vance criticized el Sayed’s views on Sharia law during a rally in Ohio.
Usha Vance’s response came in an interview with Fox News, where she stated that she has always felt embraced by JD Vance’s family. She noted that his mother, aunt, and uncle have been "incredibly loving" and that she would have liked to meet his grandparents. "They are my family. They treat me like their family," she said.
El Sayed’s comments followed JD Vance’s assertion that el Sayed’s views on Sharia law would have been foreign to his grandfather, whom he refers to as his "Papaw." At the rally, JD Vance said, "That’s not my Papaw’s Democratic Party, my friends." El Sayed responded on social media with the question: "So do we think JD is taking Usha with him back in time to meet Papaw, or no..." Critics interpreted the remark as an insinuation that Vance’s grandfather would not have accepted Usha due to her Indian heritage.
Usha Vance described her reaction to the comment as one of amusement. "I kind of laughed because, yes, I never met JD’s Mamaw and Papaw, but I do know and love the children that they raised," she said. She added that his family has always treated her with love and acceptance.
El Sayed later addressed the remark in an interview, stating that the comment was intended to highlight the generational divide in political views rather than to question Usha Vance’s place in the family. He emphasized that his focus was on the contrast between his progressive stance and the values represented by JD Vance’s grandfather.
The exchange has drawn attention amid el Sayed’s campaign for Michigan’s Senate seat, a race that has become one of the most closely watched contests in the 2026 midterm elections. El Sayed’s primary victory last month energized the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, defeating Rep. Haley Stevens, who had the backing of Senate leadership.