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As millions of Americans across the country issued heartfelt tributes following the death of country music superstar Dolly Parton, Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed is facing heat online over what critics call a politicization of Parton’s passing.
“Dolly Parton used her gift for music to highlight the challenges of poverty, inequality, and struggle in ways that uplifted and inspired working people,” El-Sayed posted on X on Tuesday shortly after Parton died at the age of 80 after a brief battle with cancer.
“And I told ’em all the story / Momma told me while she sewed / And how my coat of many colors / Was worth more than all their clothes,” El-Sayed added, quoting Parton song lyrics.
El-Sayed’s post was “ratioed” on social media, yielding far more negative comments and quote tweets that positive ones from users accusing the far-left candidate of injecting his political message into his Parton tribute.
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“Leave it to you to exploit her death for political gain,” Twitchy Managing Editor Sam Janney posted on X. “D-ck.”
“I didn’t think anyone would actually politicize Dolly Parton’s death, but here we are,” Washington Free Beacon reporter Chuck Ross posted on X.
“Quiet,” Townhall Media’s Storm Paglia posted on X. ‘You hate America .”
“Stay away from her,” Senate Leadership Fund rapid response director Chloe Smith posted on X in meme form.
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“Gimme a break, Abdul is no fan of Dolly and I doubt she of him,” another user posted. “Dolly is a hard working kind person, NOT a socialist.”
Conservative writer Debbie Schlussel slammed El-Sayed for messaging she views as contrived.
“Hilarious watching this privileged spoiled rich kid from wealthy Bloomfield Hills… pretend he’s down with the struggle of America’s working poor because he googles a Dolly Parton song. Total fraud. How many believe this phony knew the lyrics to any Dolly song?” she said.
One X user sporting more than 150,000 followers responded to El-Sayed with only two words.
“Pandering buffoon,” she said.
“Your religious laws would have had her covered from head to toe and restricted her from playing music or expressing herself publicly,” said another account with more than 83,000 followers. El-Sayed has previously said he follows Sharia in his personal religious life.
Fox News Digital reached out to El-Sayed’s campaign.
Parton died peacefully in Nashville, Tennessee, on Tuesday, according to a press release obtained by Fox News Digital. Her representatives confirmed she faced a “brief battle with cancer.”
Parton’s catalog included enduring hits such as “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors,” “Here You Come Again,” “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You.” The latter song became a global phenomenon again when Whitney Houston recorded it for 1992’s “The Bodyguard.”
Beyond her impressive career, Parton built a business empire centered in her home state of Tennessee. Dollywood became one of Tennessee’s most popular attractions, while her charitable work through the Dollywood Foundation and Imagination Library left an equally lasting mark.
“Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched,” her team said in a statement.
Fox News Digital’s Christina Dugan Ramirez contributed to this report.
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