He and Abdul El-Sayed are showcasing the kind of aggressive spirit Democrats need to adopt in the new Congress.

Victory speeches from winning candidates usually follow a similar script: Thank the family, staff and volunteers; riff on how inspiring the campaign was; remind people of the hard work ahead; and extend good wishes to the defeated rival, in the spirit of generosity.

But not all Democratic winners did that on Tuesday night. In Michigan, Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed was not going to let bygones be bygones. Addressing his opponent, Mike Rogers, he said, “So, Mike, enjoy your retirement. I know you got a house in Florida and two yachts. See, you chose hate, and Michigan chose hope. May we never have to see the likes of you in this state again.”

El-Sayed wasn’t done. He moved on to Vice President JD Vance, who had described the Democrat as a “psychopath” and “very, very evil.”

“Habibi,” El-Sayed said with a smile, using an Arabic term of endearment. “There is this delicious irony in the fact that you’re constitutionally obligated to swear me in in January.”

Down in Georgia, Sen. Jon Ossoff didn’t even bother mentioning his opponent, Rep. Mike Collins — though he did say that “the American people have rebuked the depravity, corruption and incompetence of the failed lame-duck president, Donald J. Trump.”

    • bedwyr@piefed.ca
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      3 days ago

      The vote already happened, and we still can’t recognize the deficiencies in our candidates in your estimation?

      I will not pretend the dems are good, they aren’t, except my man El Sayed. And bullying people into pretending they are good is why we fucking lose.

      • rumimevlevi@sh.itjust.works
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        3 days ago

        When the deficiencies are so serious , it should be called out and politicians should be forced to abide to international laws and morality .