By Brandon Hall
(Email Him At WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)
Shri Thanedar, currently leading the Democratic field in the race for Governor in multiple polls, has announced he is challenging the eligibility of one of his opponents, Abdul El Sayed.
El Sayed is a Doctor from Detroit running to be America's first Muslim Governor.
The problem is, the Michigan Constitution requires the Governor to be an elector in the state of Michigan for 4 years prior to the election, and El Sayed only re-registered in Michigan after the 2016 Presidential primary. He moved from Michigan to New York in 2014.
Former State Senator Gretchen Whitmer is neck-and-neck with Shri in the polls, but continues to struggle.
Thanedar is being shredded with attacks in the media after his rise in the polls, most prominently, allegations over animal abuse at one of his former businesses.
Thanedar says it's time to settle the issue, it's nothing personal against El Sayed.
“I applaud Mr. El-Sayed's attempt to pre-emptively have this issue resolved and also appreciate Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Brandon Dillon for calling for a ruling on this issue,” Thanedar said in a press release. “This move should not be construed as a personal attack. I believe a candidate with standing in this race must step up and challenge Mr. El-Sayed's eligibility to resolve this issue once and for all.”
Thanedar says Attorney General Schuette wants El Sayed as his opponent so he can have him booted off the ballot after the primary.
“It is my belief that Attorney General Schuette wants to keep a potentially ineligible Democratic candidate on the ballot as a political tactic that assists his campaign,” Thanedar said. “However, I am interested in ensuring the integrity of this election for all Michigan voters. I believe it is important that this situation be resolved - not only to determine the eligibility of my opponent Mr. Abdul El-Sayed, but also to maintain the integrity of the Michigan Democratic Party's statewide primary ballot."
According to Shri's press release:
"Thanedar is challenging El-Sayed’s eligibility on three grounds:
- The Michigan Constitution requires gubernatorial candidates be a “registered elector in this state” for four years before the general election. Mr. El-Sayed voted in New York in 2012. Records indicate that Mr. El-Sayed was registered to vote in New York as recently as March 2015, according to the New York Department of Elections, which would break his streak of voting in Michigan.
- Despite his allegations, Michigan voting records indicate Mr. El-Sayed was not registered to vote within the city of Detroit until more than two weeks after the Michigan presidential primary, on March 25, 2016.
- Mr. El-Sayed officially filed for a driver's license as a resident of New York in Manhattan in 2012 and was issued a New York driver license the following year. By definition, this action would determine that his residency at that time was in the state of New York, not the state of Michigan.
I wonder if El Sayed will accuse Shri of being a white supremacist like he did to Senator Colbeck? ;)
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Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.
Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.
Don't forget that El-Sayed is counter-claiming that Thanedar is also ineligible due to "petition irregularities"
ReplyDeletePersonally, I'd love to see them take each other out of the race for good!