After CBS host Stephen Colbert claimed that Michigan’s GOP nominee for governor made up a story about a voter who left the Democrats to go to Republican, the voter speaks up to express his anger.
In a monologue last week on The Late Show, Colbert mocked Republican nominee Tudor Dixon for a story she told in her recent debate with incumbent Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
In the debate, Dixon described how a man who attended her campaign rally said he was a longtime loyal Democrat but chose to switch parties because of his frustration with “sexually explicit books” in school libraries — a story that Colbert joked that he was “totally screwed”. high’.
‘Fine. That’s what happened,” Colbert joked, using air quotes to express his skepticism. Now it turns out that the voter is very real and very unhappy.
“To say I’m not here, I don’t exist, I’m not human, that’s absolute ignorance,” Khalil Othman, 41, told the Detroit Free Press, saying he attended a Dixon rally where he explained his intention to change parties.
“Once that person has done their due diligence and started research, or have their team do a little research into who this person who attended Dixon’s rally is, they can easily find my name on social media right away. Just google it,” Othman added.
CBS host Stephen Colbert claimed a story about a voter defecting from Democrats to the GOP was “completely made up,” but now the voter in question has spoken out
“To say I’m not here, I don’t exist, I’m not human, that’s utter ignorance,” Khalil Othman, 41, (above) told the Detroit Free Press about Colbert’s remarks
Tudor Dixon (right) shared Othman’s story without naming him in her recent debate with incumbent Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (left).
A spokeswoman for The Late Show did not immediately respond to a request for comment from on Wednesday night.
Othman, a father of five originally from Yemen, is a former candidate for Dearborn City Council and the Michigan House of Representatives, and ran for both offices as a Democrat.
“I have been a loyal Democrat since immigrating to this great country almost 20 years ago,” he said in a Facebook post.
“I’ve never voted Republican. However, the situation with the sexually explicit material in the schools went too far for me. When it comes to my children and my family, I will not back down. family before party!’ he wrote.
Othman wrote that he felt his concerns were being ignored or downplayed by Democrats and decided to hear Dixon speak at a rally and “make my own judgement.”
He said he was encouraged by her comments and his conversations with the candidate and her supporters, and announced his “divorce” from the Democratic Party.
Othman is seen at an event for Dixon with other supporters of the GOP nominee. He previously ran for state and local office as a Democrat
Othman (second from left) has shared his story publicly on social media and has expressed disappointment that Colbert would question his existence on national television
Othman is among a group of parents who have protested books in Dearborn public school libraries in recent weeks that they say have inappropriate sexual content, including several with LGBTQ themes.
“I’m a proud Muslim American who constantly voices my values and concerns,” Othman told the Free Press.
“Dearborn has voted Democrats blue for the last ten or two decades. But not anymore. On behalf of myself and my family, I guarantee you with certainty that my family and friends will vote Republican,” he said.
Dixon, a former conservative radio host, received the GOP nomination in Michigan after securing Donald Trump’s endorsement and support from former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos’ wealthy family, who are major political figures in the state.
Although Dixon trailed Whitmer in the polls for the duration of the campaign, the gap has narrowed significantly as the Nov. 8 election approaches.
The latest RCP poll average puts Whitmer by a slim margin of just 3.4 points, with several recent polls showing the race in a dead tie.
In her Oct. 25 debate with Whitmer, Dixon told Othman’s story without naming him, saying that a voter at a rally approached her and said he was switching his vote to the GOP because he felt like he wasn’t voting that his concerns would be ignored by the Democrats.
“He said: ‘I found content in my school library describing how to have sex with my son. I went to the Democrats and said I can’t believe this is in there,” Dixon recalled.
“He said because the Democrats won’t stand up for our kids and go back to basics, ‘I’m leaving the Democratic Party,'” Dixon added.
Dixon, a former conservative radio host, earned the GOP nomination in Michigan after securing Donald Trump’s endorsement. She’s only just behind in the polls
Whitmer, the incumbent Democrat, has focused her campaign on abortion rights. Whitmer had an early fundraising advantage over Dixon, but the gap has narrowed
On the campaign trail, Dixon also slammed Colbert for questioning whether Othman existed.
“I told his story,” Dixon said at a rally on Sunday. ‘And Stephen Colbert is recording it. … And they do this whole skit about how that never happened. That’s what he said, this story never happened. That’s where the Democrats are right now. You don’t exist, your stories don’t matter.’
In his monologue, Colbert argued that even if Othman’s story was true, his expectation that the Democratic Party could address his concerns was misplaced.
“If someone finds a book that the school library doesn’t like, why would they go to the Democrats?” said Colbert.
“It’s like saying, ‘Excuse me, is this Chuck Schumer’s office? I didn’t like the House of the Dragon finale,'” joked Colbert.
In the imperious tone of an outraged voter, Colbert added, “Also, this all-natural peanut butter is way too oily when it’s in the cupboard, but it gets too hard when it’s in the fridge. I vote Republican! Good day Mr.’