Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud expressed a sense of hope following the Democratic primary victory of Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, who is now the party's nominee for a pivotal U.S. Senate seat in Michigan. El-Sayed's win marks a historic moment as the first Muslim major-party Senate nominee in the United States.
The primary contest was described as acrimonious, pitting different factions of the Democratic base against each other and facing opposition from the Democratic establishment and significant spending from groups like AIPAC. Hammoud, who was an early supporter and campaigner for El-Sayed, noted that despite the exhaustion from the campaign, his community is feeling hopeful, particularly with the apparent unity emerging within the party post-primary.
"What was hopeful this morning is just seeing the whole party come together," Hammoud said in an interview, crediting elected officials like Rep. Haley Stevens, Sen. Mallory McMorrow, and Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel for quickly emphasizing unity ahead of the general election. "People are just feeling inspired."
Hammoud acknowledged the profound significance of El-Sayed's potential historic achievement, stating, "It’s beautiful to see a son of Michigan who’s authentically himself, welcomed and uplifted by the people of Michigan." He framed this support as quintessentially American: "That you’re willing to support a candidate regardless of the direction in which they pray, because of the direction in which they lead?"
Looking ahead to the general election against Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers, Hammoud anticipates the return of Islamophobic rhetoric, citing Rogers' past statements. He drew parallels to the attacks faced by former President Barack Obama and other candidates, including Vice President Kamala Harris, noting that "hateful rhetoric always seems to emerge." Hammoud expressed concern about the role of social media algorithms in promoting such content, attributing it to platforms' reluctance to police hate speech.
He suggested that the hopefulness stems from candidates like El-Sayed who are authentic and speak to shared values across diverse communities. "It’s because they spoke to a set of values that people of all faiths, of all backgrounds, of all ethnicities, of multi-generational, multi-ethnic coalitions that were constructed, all share," Hammoud stated.
Hammoud also drew parallels between El-Sayed's campaign and his own mayoral race in Dearborn, the first majority-Arab American city. He recalled facing similar rhetoric suggesting he could not be a mayor for all residents, a sentiment he sees echoed in Republican attacks on El-Sayed's name.
He highlighted that El-Sayed's victory, securing nearly 80 percent of the vote in Dearborn, underscores a broader public hunger for politics that prioritizes working families over corporate interests. "This election was also a stark reminder that people are hungry for a politics that answers to working families, not to corporate PACs and special interests," Hammoud said.
Comparing the current political climate to 2024, Hammoud noted a shift from voters being told to choose the "lesser of two evils" to supporting candidates with clear platforms and authentic connections. He emphasized that Dearborn residents voted for El-Sayed not because he is Muslim, but because he engaged with the community and presented an agenda addressing economic issues.
Recalling his leadership in the "Uncommitted" movement during the 2024 primaries, which protested President Biden's handling of the Gaza war, Hammoud sees El-Sayed's campaign as an evolution of that effort. He characterized the movement not as an issue for Arab or Muslim communities alone, but as a broad coalition that brought together multi-generational, multi-ethnic, and multi-faith individuals concerned about human rights and the use of tax dollars.
"The Uncommitted movement was an anti-war coalition, a pro-justice movement. And I think that’s what you’re seeing manifest in these candidates on the ground," Hammoud explained. He clarified that true victory, in his view, is not solely electoral but realized when working families feel heard and their lives improve through policy changes.
Hammoud also addressed the challenges of rebuilding trust between Muslim and Jewish communities, acknowledging past tensions exacerbated by the conflict in Gaza. He pointed to existing strong relationships in Dearborn, citing the city's support for Bernie Sanders and his own past endorsements, and highlighted collaborations with organizations like Jewish Voice for Peace. He stressed the need to counter antisemitism, Islamophobia, and anti-Arab sentiment collectively, distinguishing between criticism of a government and criticism of its people.
When asked about building authentic relationships with communities, Hammoud advised organizers to go beyond traditional campaign tactics. "You got to show up. You got to be seen in community with them," he said, emphasizing consistent presence and engagement with community members on issues they care about, rather than only during election cycles.