Michigan progressive Abdul El-Sayed says ‘ogre’ remark not directed at rival

El-Sayed says in TV debate ogre on a pike' Zoom comment was in reference to John Fetterman, not Haley Stevens

The Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed said his comments that progressives need to put the head of an ogre" on a pike was in reference to the US senator John Fetterman - not his opponent, representative Haley Stevens.

In a televised debate on Monday, the final head-to-head before the state's 4 August primary, the moderator asked El-Sayed whether he regretted his comments made in a Zoom meeting, in which, according to leaked audio published by Politico, he suggested that if you put one ogre on a pike, and then everyone else gets the message".