Abdul El-Sayed turns inflation into a game show to target Trump policies

El-Sayed, who won the Democratic primary last month, released a video Tuesday challenging voters to guess the current price of common grocery items compared to last year. He pointed to a 30% jump in the cost of Tide detergent pods—now nearing $30—as a byproduct of the administration's foreign policy. The candidate links these price spikes to retaliatory measures following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and a broader trade conflict with Canada.

The economic impact on Michigan is particularly severe. The Midwest Economic Policy Institute found that local households pay up to $3,200 in extra costs due to tariffs, a figure roughly 142% higher than the national average. With Canada acting as the state's largest trading partner, industries from auto manufacturing to farming face significant pressure. El-Sayed contends that his opponent, former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, offers only a rubber stamp for these policies, which he labels as vanity-driven trade wars harming Michigan families.