<p>Timmy Teepell’s firm paid $250,000 by America Next, which has been trying to gin up ‘organic’ opposition to El-Sayed</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/19/abdul-el-sayed-heckler-tommy">Man who heckled El-Sayed is former Josh Hawley aide, records show</a></p></li></ul><p>The man who attempted to ambush the Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed with a question about his supposed allegiance to the Muslim Brotherhood – which El-Sayed parlayed into a viral clip for his campaign – is the son of a political operator who recently received $250,000 for “canvassing and influencer marketing” against El-Sayed, the Guardian has learned.</p><p>In the now-famous exchange, a man – first <a href="https://www.thehandbasket.co/p/tommy-teepell-abdul-el-sayed-viral-video-town-hall-josh-hawley">identified</a> by the Handbasket as Thomas “Tommy” Teepell – asked El-Sayed if he would “disavow” the Muslim Brotherhood. El-Sayed said he would, but then asked: “What are you implying? Do you assume that I wouldn’t?” What followed was a five-minute exchange that has <a href="https://x.com/electionsjoe/status/2112015325050892592">drawn</a> over 50m views across several social media platforms, in which El-Sayed queries the man about the guarantees of religious freedom in the constitution.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/20/abdul-el-sayed-heckler">Continue reading...</a>
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Michigan heckler the son of Republican adviser paid for ‘influencer marketing’ against El-Sayed
<p>Timmy Teepell’s firm paid $250,000 by America Next, which has been trying to gin up ‘organic’ opposition to El-Sayed</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/19/abdul-el-sayed-heckler-tommy">Man who heckled El-Sayed is former Josh Hawley aide, records show</a></p></li></ul><p>The man who attempted to ambush the Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed with a question about his supposed allegiance to the Muslim Brotherhood – which El-Sayed parlayed into a viral clip for his campaign – is the son of a political operator who recently received $250,000 for “canvassing and influencer marketing” against El-Sayed, the Guardian has learned.</p><p>In the now-famous exchange, a man – first <a href="https://www.thehandbasket.co/p/tommy-teepell-abdul-el-sayed-viral-video-town-hall-josh-hawley">identified</a> by the Handbasket as Thomas “Tommy” Teepell – asked El-Sayed if he would “disavow” the Muslim Brotherhood. El-Sayed said he would, but then asked: “What are you implying? Do you assume that I wouldn’t?” What followed was a five-minute exchange that has <a href="https://x.com/electionsjoe/status/2112015325050892592">drawn</a> over 50m views across several social media platforms, in which El-Sayed queries the man about the guarantees of religious freedom in the constitution.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/20/abdul-el-sayed-heckler">Continue reading...</a>