Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed asserted that attacks on his faith and ethnicity from President Donald Trump and Republicans are a tactic to distract from the economic hardships faced by Americans.
El-Sayed's closely contested race against Republican Mike Rogers could significantly influence the balance of power in the Senate. A Fox News poll from late September indicated a near tie, with El-Sayed at 50% and Rogers at 49% among likely voters.
Trump has repeatedly referred to El-Sayed by his middle name, 'Mohammed,' and urged voters to reject candidates like him to 'preserve our religion, our values, and our heritage.' El-Sayed, born in Rochester Hills, Michigan, to Egyptian immigrant parents, told ABC News Live anchor Linsey Davis, "They think they can point to my name and my faith and distract us from the fact that we can't afford our gas and we can't afford our groceries."
Foreign Policy Stances
El-Sayed, who has historically opposed extensive U.S. military aid to Israel, explained his view that Israel is not an ally to the United States. "An ally that takes your money to push you into wars you shouldn't be fighting is not an ally," he stated. "I think it's time for us to realize that like, Israel is not actually our friend."
He also addressed criticism regarding his response to whether he condemned Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. El-Sayed stated that while he condemns many of their actions, engaging with such entities is necessary for pursuing peace. "They've engaged in horrific acts. There's no question about that," he said of the Iranian regime. "I condemn the attacks on democracy that Iran has done, but we engage with actors in a world where you kind of have to figure out how to make peace with people you disagree with."
El-Sayed criticized the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal with Iran and its allies, stating, "We were in a position for nuclear containment and we were in the position of peace. We should have not gone to war in the first place."
Domestic Policy Views
On healthcare, El-Sayed expressed his support for Medicare for All, a single-payer system. He likened the effort to achieving such a system to "climbing Mt. Everest," acknowledging the difficulty but emphasizing the pursuit of steps that increase healthcare access and public involvement.
Regarding trade, El-Sayed condemned the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on Canada, citing their negative impact on Michigan households. According to the National Taxpayers Union Foundation, Michigan households have incurred an average additional cost of $5,600 due to tariffs since January 2025. El-Sayed suggested a potential exception: tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles to support the American auto industry, a policy supported by the United Auto Workers Union.
Campaign Challenges
El-Sayed described the most challenging aspect of campaigning as missing "interstitial moments" with his family, such as children's recitals or games. He credited his wife, Sarah, with helping to maintain normalcy at home and shielding their children from negative campaign advertisements.