By Aunt America
The X posts are churning about Michigan Senate candidate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed. It’s a wild race, and wild even beyond Michigan standards; the seat is wide open, the economy is wild, and Michigan is 1-3 in the Big Ten so far. There’s a lot to tear at to get to the core of the Democratic nominee, so let’s find out who he really is…
- If you’re an Ohio State fan, you already don’t like him.
The man spends an awful lot of time in the state of Michigan. He was born there. El-Sayed is from Rochester Hills, which is a suburb of Detroit. He then attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
El-Sayed was a Rhodes Scholar and earned his doctorate at Columbia, where he taught as an assistant professor. His specialization is public health. However, his “Dr.” comes from his doctorate; he has never been licensed to practice medicine.
Take a wild guess at his politics.
If you’re up on your demographics, you know that the Detroit area, and Dearborn and Rochester Hills in particular, are strongholds of Arab and Middle Eastern cultures. Whoever Dr. Abdul El-Sayed really is, he came by it honestly.
- He’s a Millennial
El-Sayed was born in 1984. His parents, both Egyptian immigrants (he was born in the U.S., however– and yes, people checked), split when he was only three years old. Mom lives in Missouri. The broken household is a status he shares with approximately 39% of those in his generation.
El-Sayed’s favorite book, according to him, is The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGhee. Millennials in particular heart this book, which provides a “Solidary Dividend” format of community organization.
Take a wild guess at its politics.
- The following people and organizations have endorsed, encouraged, or worked with Abdul El-Sayed:
Bill Clinton (according to El-Sayed.) Bernie Sanders. Kamala Harris. Barack Obama. Elizabeth Warren. Al Franken (!). Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Ilhan Omar. Keith Ellison (!). Rashida Tlaib. The Planned Parenthood Action Fund. Reproductive Freedom for All. The LGBT&A Caucus. Mandy Patinkin (?). The Democratic Socialists of America. The American Association of University Professors.
Take from it what you will.
- You can’t say he never made a sports team.
We’re at the point in campaign season in which this is relevant to the man’s character and, apparently, thousands of votes.
El-Sayed graduated from Bloomfield Hills Andover High School. He was on the football team, the wrestling team, and the lacrosse team. He captained the football team, the wrestling team, and the lacrosse team.
It became an issue when a 2021 essay by El-Sayed surfaced in which he announced that “the toxic masculinity at the heart of America’s most popular sport — and men’s sports culture more generally — is way deeper than a few emails.” (This was in the wake of the resignation of Raiders coach Jon Gruden after some leaked emails sunk his pirate ship.)
It became an even bigger issue after some 2023 comments about CTE in which he said,
What is it about this brutal sport that keeps us coming back? Is there a version of football that’s actually ethical and safe? What would need to change?
The ping-pong comments concerning football have involved pretty much everyone from his Republican opponent Mike Rogers and Barstool Sports’ founder Dave Portnoy. The Senatorial Football Wars of 2026 could span at least fourteen columns on their own. But the man’s been in a helmet, at least, which is more than one could say for Thom Brennaman.
- He says he’s a capitalist.
He’s also said that
I just believe that capitalism has to be regulated… I’ve been very, very clear and consistent about the fact that I just think billionaires should pay their fair share so that our kids get to go to good schools. It’s not that radical.
- It’s complicated.
Michigan Jews Against Extremism has endorsed Mike Rogers.
Michigan Jews for Democracy has endorsed Abdul El-Sayed.
- He says “health care is a human right, not a privilege.”
Leaning on his 2+ years of experience as the director of the Wayne County Department of Health, Human, and Veterans Services, El-Sayed has hammered health care into a major plank in his platform.
He says that he “will sponsor legislation to enact M4A and eliminate medical debt nationwide. M4A guarantees comprehensive coverage, eliminates co-pays and deductibles, and lowers overall costs through reducing administrative waste and negotiating drug prices.”
In other words, it’s to the left of Obamacare.
M4A, for those who don’t know how the progressive kids are slinging acronyms these days, stands for Medicare for All, which is a plan that aims to replace all forms of private health insurance with a single-payer system run by the government.
- He’s here for Shawarma law.
Bon Appetit magazine reported that El-Sayed recently joined TikToker Summer Homayed for a political discussion dressed as a shawarma cooking party.
“People are worried about that Sharia law, especially Michiganders. What do you have to say about that?” said Homayed.
“Look,” El-Sayed replied, “I was born and raised in America. I believe deeply in the U.S. Constitution. So Sharia law? No. I’m here for Shawarma law.”
- He set a record for fundraising in Michigan.
The Michigan Senate race has cost $243 million so far; Abdul El-Sayed has raised $53.8 million.
Of that, $2.5 million comes from small donors. Both Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez kicked in a cool million– Sanders to a PAC advocating for El-Sayed, and Ocasio-Cortez from a joint fundraising account.
El-Sayed pledged to run without funding from corporate PACs, but the trickle-down effects of political action committees supporting local races mean that some of his cash from the Senate Majority PAC came from the Soros family.
- Is he a part of the Muslim Brotherhood?
If he is, nobody’s come forward with proof. El-Sayed denies it. His campaign has denied it.
And when recently asked about the issue, El-Sayed said: “Everybody wants to make this about my faith. I don’t. I just want to be the next Senator.”
He’s just here for Shawarma law.
