Abdul El-Sayed on Monday tried to bait President Donald Trump into visiting Michigan to speak for his GOP candidate.

El-Sayed, a progressive Democrat who’s leading Trump-backed Republican Mike Rogers in several polls, said the president was “too afraid” to accept his dare.

El-Sayed: Donald, please, I'm asking you, come to Michigan. Clearly your candidate can't speak for himself. He doesn't have anything to say. Clearly you are the answer. And you should tell everybody why they should imagine you on the ballot. Here's the challenge: I think you… pic.twitter.com/vAH3ByRJZ0

“Donald, please, I’m asking you, come to Michigan,” El-Sayed said on Chris Hayes’ MS NOW “All In” show. “Clearly your candidate can’t speak for himself. He doesn’t have anything to say. Clearly you are the answer. And you should tell everybody why they should imagine you on the ballot. So, Donald, here is the gauntlet, here’s the challenge: I think you are too afraid to come to Michigan because, you know, when I beat your candidate, and you came, I’m actually beating you. So, Donald, welcome to Michigan. I dare you to come.”

Earlier Monday, Trump did tell reporters he was planning to visit Michigan “in a week and a half” ― but he and the White House gave no specifics, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Later at a rally in Nebraska, Trump called El-Sayed a “total communist,” so clearly the progressive was on his mind.

El-Sayed may have touched a sore spot in his challenge. Several Republican candidates avoided the president’s midterm convention, perhaps indicating that his plummeting popularity might actually hurt their campaigns. Hayes called the president almost radioactive.

But Trump has asked supporters to vote as if he were on the ballot.

Rogers attended the midterm convention and then dodged a Fox 2 debate with El-Sayed, leaving the podium empty.

“Last week, Mike Rogers took the time to go to Dallas, to give a speech at a convention held in the interest of Donald Trump, but he didn’t have the time to spend an hour with us here in Detroit,” El-Sayed said at the time. “And it tells you everything about who he is and what his priorities are.”

The two are scheduled to debate Thursday on TV.

On Monday, Trump told reporters he was planning to visit Michigan “in a week and a half” ― but he and the White House gave no specifics, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Trump last went to the battleground state in July, and an appearance now might not be the antidote for Republicans, according to Michigan’s biggest newspaper.

“What’s not entirely clear is how much a visit by Trump will help,” the Free Press wrote. “His job approval numbers have been near or at record lows with gas and diesel prices high and Trump continuing to fight an unpopular war with Iran.”

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