There’s a reason football icon Deion Sanders earned the nickname “Primetime.” His standout moments on Monday nights and in the postseason defined the label. But political novices tested on big stages do not always shine under those same lights.
The path to higher office is cluttered with candidates from both parties who faltered when the spotlight hit. Some would have fit better on low-viewership cable than on a national platform.
Consider former football star Herschel Walker. A Heisman winner in 1982, he struggled to translate celebrity into political skill when he ran for the U.S. Senate in Georgia in 2024, falling well short of expectations.
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Democrats this year also floated first-time candidate Graham Platner to challenge Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. Reports about a Nazi-era tattoo and allegations of rape and sexual abuse quickly turned that bid into a liability.
So the question now is how other newcomers on this year’s ballot will perform when it counts.
El-Sayed’s candidacy and national politics
Platner might have been the cycle’s most combustible name. But Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed has surpassed him in controversy.
El-Sayed has positioned himself on the left and has been tied closely in the past to online personality Hasan Piker.
During a Fox appearance, he likened Sharia law to Catholic canon law, suggested doing away with the Second Amendment and veered into a discussion about private anatomy.
The exchange drew headlines and caused fresh concerns for Democrats. The party must defend the Michigan seat to have a path to flipping the Senate, and Republicans see El-Sayed as a ready-made foil.
Since El-Sayed won the nomination to face former Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., GOP strategists have worked to make him a national symbol of what they argue is the Democratic Party’s drift from mainstream voters.
Republicans hope that framing sticks beyond Michigan and influences down-ballot contests in other states.
Put another way, could the reverberations from El-Sayed’s candidacy drag on Democrats outside the Wolverine State?
On the stump, El-Sayed sticks to core themes.
“You deserve good health care,” he said. “You deserve protections at your job.”
But pressed on Fox about transgender sports participation and medical treatment for minors, he replied, “Circumcision is surgery on a kid’s ding-a-ling. So, you really want to bring that up? I just think you guys are really selective about how you guys want to talk about things,” telling host Jesse Watters.
Operatives in both parties would likely agree that when a candidate is discussing euphemisms on national TV instead of inflation or international crises, the message is off course.
El-Sayed also supports Medicare-for-all and slavery reparations.
“I just think it’s past time to have that conversation. That shouldn’t be a crazy thing,” he said.
Republicans, meanwhile, are amplifying his remarks.
“It’s common sense versus communist crazy. And don’t believe my word. Listen to what El-Sayed says,” House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain, R-Mich., said on Fox Business.
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Democrats are uneasy about El-Sayed’s past association with Piker, who has promoted antisemitic views.
“Those comments were dangerous, malicious and antisemitic and shouldn’t be tolerated by anyone in the public square,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said.
El-Sayed has recently moved to put distance between himself and Piker.
“I got so much exposure and empowerment from the Jewish community,” he said at a rally. “Jewish people are a light unto the world.”
Some Democrats remain unconvinced.
“His response was pathetic, and it did not answer the call,” said Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., a leading pro-Israel Democrat. “This is not a guy who any of us should embrace.”
Rogers’ campaign has argued that El-Sayed’s words are doing their work for them.
President Trump recently escalated tensions with Canada by renaming Lake Ontario “Lake America.”
El-Sayed defeated moderate Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., in the primary. Given the new turbulence, some Democrats may wonder if they would be better off debating trade policy with Stevens atop the ticket instead.
Politics can be unpredictable.
This moment does not necessarily doom El-Sayed. Progressive energy within the party is high, and he could boost turnout on the left. That could help Democrats if some Republicans sit out because of dissatisfaction with President Trump.
Or, as House Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Ted Lieu, D-Calif., put it this week, “Just go fu—– vote.”
Primetime tests for other newcomers
On the Republican side, few voters knew Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., before her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., died unexpectedly. Gov. Henry McMaster appointed her to the seat and urged her to seek a full term.
Graham entered as a newcomer, and even with backing from President Trump, it was unclear whether she was ready for the bright lights. In a GOP runoff debate against Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., she stumbled over a question about U.S. interests in Taiwan.
“I’m not that informed on national security,” she said. “But I do support the military.”
Foreign policy had been her brother’s strong suit. He died shortly after returning to Washington from meetings in Turkey and Ukraine.
Graham sought to turn the misstep into a pivot, arguing that voters are more concerned with everyday costs.
“You know how many (people) brought up Taiwan or national security?” she said on the trail. “Not one. They’re talking about the rising cost of health care and affordability.”
Pressed by a reporter on what she would do to tackle inflation, she was asked for a specific action or bill she would support to lower prices.
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“We’ll see when I get there,” Graham replied.
She is, of course, already there. She has served in the Senate since mid-July. Some voters might view that answer as another slip, more Saturday-afternoon rerun than primetime moment.
Norman kept the focus on pocketbook issues.
“Prices are still too high. Groceries. Gas,” he said. “(Voters are) feeling it in their pocketbooks.”
Graham defeated Norman in the primary, and barring a surprise from Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, she is positioned to win a full six-year term in November.
That is primetime, ready or not.
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