Anti-Muslim rhetoric is finding a growing foothold in GOP messaging ahead of November

0:00This campaign cycle has been marked by a sharp rise and anti-Muslim rhetoric from some Republican candidate. It's been fueled in part by prominent victories by two Muslim-American politicians, Zoran Mamdani in New York and Abdul Al-Sahed in Michigan. And Pairs Barbara Sprun reports. Hours after Abdul Al-Sahed won the Democratic primary for Michigan Senate, one of his potential future colleagues, Senator Tommy Tuberville, called him a terrorist. The Alabama Republican is far from alone in trafficking an anti-Muslim rhetoric this cycle. South Carolina congresswoman Nancy Mace posted that every Muslim holding public office is a Trojan horse. We have seen a significant increase in anti-Muslim bigotry coming from elected officials, policy makers. That's Maya Berry, executive director of the Arab-American Institute. There is a sense of one that speaks about the American Muslim community in a way that you would generally not espouse towards another group or another faith

1:00without sort of hedging your comments and sort of saying, no, no, no, I don't mean it that way. Nope, folks are perfectly comfortable meaning it that way when it comes to American Muslims. And that is really harmful. Berry says this cycle, fear-mongering about Islam is paired with warnings about communism and socialism. It is yet another example of how there's a focus group that sat down somewhere and they're like, let's talk about socialism, let's talk about communism. And then we can do the holy grail of bringing an Islam to it and boy, is that going to play well? Rikim Nayyek is the executive director of the Center for the Study of Organized Hate. He says there's a notable distinction between the anti-Muslim rhetoric of the post 9-11 era and what's happening now. More so presenting Muslims not just as a security threat, but also a demographic political and civilizational threat. And most of these narratives are rooted in the greater placement theory. Great replacement, the conspiracy theory that white populations in Western countries are being replaced by non-white populations

2:02to achieve a political agenda. It's been linked to multiple deadly attacks, including in San Diego, El Paso, and Pittsburgh. Nayyek says New York Mayor Mamdani and El Sayyed's electoral successes are just one factor for renewed anti-Muslim messaging. But they play a role in appearing to validate that conspiracy theory. Presenting Islam as an existential threat does allow political opponents to present Muslim candidates running for office as an evidence of infiltration or a tool of Islamification. And that theme is front and center and adds playing across the country. Radical Islam is taking root in Texas. Radical Islam is incompatible with the West. They don't think we deserve the right to exist as Americans or as Christians. Hate our way of life. It won't shure a law. Oklahoma is next. Nazita Legivardi is a political science professor at the University of Michigan. The sound and the language and the imaging all together produce almost a trailer for a horror movie.

3:06She says not only does this alienate communities the GOP was previously trying to make inroads with, but it could also backfire in broadening the party's appeal. People who may be disaffected voters and may not share identities of the targets of these attacks, but they still might be repulsed. But Vinnie Manchillo, a GOP consultant, says for other voters, the message works. You're advertising there's only two things for sale. And that's hope and fear. And in this case, it's fear. And I think people don't like change. People don't like things that are different to them. Any ads? Let's be honest. If you look at any poll anywhere in the country, people's number one concern is economy and inflation. So for those of us on the Republican side, gee, if we can have a problem to talk about, that's not economy and inflation. We're excited to put that in the message set. Nia continues to track these messages every day and says they're only getting more frequent as election day gets closer. Barbara Sprint and Björnius.