US President Donald Trump targeted Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed at a campaign rally in Iowa on Sunday, repeatedly calling the Michigan progressive a “jihadist” and making remarks about his Muslim faith as voters prepare to head to the polls for Tuesday’s midterm elections.Trump's comments came as El-Sayed remains in a closely contested Michigan Senate race against Republican candidate Mike Rogers. The result could influence which party controls the Senate after the elections.“If you vote for this jihadist lunatic that wants to destroy you, you’re crazy,” Trump told the crowd. He also said Congress would need to “get a special metal detector for Abdul” if the candidate were elected.The Michigan contest has attracted national attention following a dispute between El-Sayed and fellow Democrat Haley Stevens, who lost to him in the August primary. Stevens had refused to campaign alongside the nominee and called on him to distance himself from an advertisement by an outside political group. The advertisement linked rising prices to US military support for Israel's war in Gaza.El-Sayed subsequently asked Stevens not to attend a campaign event where the two were scheduled to appear together on Sunday.

Stevens instead endorsed Rogers, prompting criticism from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.Trump praised Stevens for backing the Republican candidate and encouraged her to join the GOP.“It was an incredible thing,” he said. “I’d love her to join the Republican party. I think that could happen.”The president also endorsed Rogers, describing him as “apple pie” and contrasting the Republican candidate with what he called “communists or jihadists” and the Muslim Brotherhood.“Mike Rodgers is apple pie. And you know what this country needs? A little apple pie. We don’t need the communists or jihadists, the Muslim Brotherhood. We need apple pie. He’s apple pie. He’ll be good,” Trump said.Trump also used the rally to underline the importance he attached to the midterm elections, urging supporters to view the contest as a test of his own presidency.He said he had spent much of the weekend travelling to campaign events instead of watching football.“Pretend I’m on the ballot,” Trump told the crowd, adding: “Essentially, I am on the ballot.”