Kamala Harris campaigned Tuesday for Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who is running against Republican Mike Rogers in a closely watched race. During the event, Harris told the crowd that opposition to diversity, equity and inclusion programs amounted to an “attack on maternal care,” a remark she repeated twice.
El-Sayed’s demeanor at the event drew attention online, with observers noting he appeared uncomfortable during Harris’s appearance.
The Michigan visit prompted a question for another Democratic candidate in a different state: Adam Hamilton, who is running for Senate in Kansas. MS NOW anchor Peter Alexander asked Hamilton directly whether he would welcome Harris to campaign with him the way she had just done for El-Sayed in Michigan.
Hamilton’s answer was blunt.
“No, I would not. My — no offense intended for her — but she would not be a help to me. We are a different kind of Democrat, and the national Democrats, some of the leaders do not represent where the people in Kansas are.”
Alexander pressed further, asking what Hamilton would tell Harris if she wanted to campaign in his state. Hamilton didn’t soften his response.
“Please do not come to my state, I do not need you here. You would actually hurt me.”
The contrast between the two Democratic candidates’ postures toward Harris — El-Sayed’s visible discomfort standing beside her, and Hamilton’s flat public rejection of her help — highlights the different political terrain Democrats are navigating this cycle. Michigan and Kansas have distinct electorates, and Hamilton’s answer suggests he sees Harris’s national profile as a liability in a state where, in his words, national Democratic leadership doesn’t reflect voters’ views.
Neither Harris’s campaign nor Hamilton’s campaign offered additional comment beyond what was said on air.
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