LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – While Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed looks to strengthen his campaign with a Tuesday visit from former Vice President Kamala Harris, a political ad supporting Republican nominee Mike Rogers is spotlighting his ties to a commentator who said, “America deserved 9/11.”

Harris is scheduled to join El-Sayed for a roundtable on Black maternal health in Detroit.

The digital ad features David Beamer, the father of Flint native Todd Beamer, criticizing El-Sayed’s association with political streamer Hasan Piker. Piker campaigned with El-Sayed, who has disavowed Piker’s statement about the attacks.

“When I hear anyone suggest ‘America deserves 9/11,’ my question is, ‘Who would say that?’” David Beamer says.

Todd Beamer died aboard United Airlines Flight 93 on Sept. 11, 2001, after he and other passengers and crew members fought back against the hijackers, preventing the plane from reaching its intended target in Washington, D.C., believed to have been the U.S. Capitol.

During a phone call with an operator, Beamer was overheard telling fellow passengers, “Are you guys ready? Okay. Let’s roll.”

The plane crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, killing all 44 people aboard: 33 passengers, seven crew members and four hijackers.

Referring to the passengers and crew, David Beamer says, “Those people on Flight 93 were not victims. They were killed in action.”

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El-Sayed and Rogers are competing to succeed retiring Democratic U.S. Sen. Gary Peters in the Nov. 3 election.