Abdul El-Sayed: Character Based Campaign Amid Endorsement Changes

Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, addressed potential reservations from Detroit residents about his candidacy. He expressed understanding for their concerns based on their experiences but urged judgment based on his character.

El-Sayed’s remarks came after former Democratic opponent Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Mike Rogers. Despite this shift, El-Sayed maintained consistency in his message as he pursues Michigan’s open Senate seat. He aims to help Democrats regain control of the Senate.

El-Sayed frequently faces Republican criticism, often targeting his Muslim faith and portraying his political views as extreme.

“I know that for too many people in the city of Detroit, their interactions with people who look like me aren’t very good,” El-Sayed stated. “They’re being catcalled behind bulletproof glass in the gas station or a liquor store, watching kids get sold loosie cigarettes.”

“But I’m asking to be judged by the content of my character, not the color of my skin, and I hope that in the U.S. Senate, I can be somebody who brings communities together so that we can build together what we can’t have alone.”

Stevens, while outside a Detroit church, insisted her decision wasn’t anti-Muslim. She and El-Sayed have disagreed publicly over Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which has resulted in significant Palestinian casualties.

Michigan’s Muslim population, one of the largest in the U.S., includes 241,828 adherents, comprising about 2.4% of the state’s population. Wayne County and metro Detroit, particularly Dearborn, house large Arab American and Middle Eastern communities.

This community contributed to President Joe Biden winning Dearborn in 2020 with 68.8% of the vote. However, by the 2024 election, Trump’s win in Dearborn and Dearborn Heights reflected changing dynamics driven partly by opposition to the Biden administration’s Gaza policy.

Despite Stevens’ public switch, El-Sayed remained focused on the broader electorate, criticizing Rogers’ alignment with Trump.

“Mike Rogers is going to be a vote for Donald Trump,” El-Sayed told MS NOW. “And if you don’t believe me, just ask Donald Trump. He came here last Sunday and said that he is on the ballot. In fact, he is on the ballot in the form of Mike Rogers, and so I’m asking folks to say, what are your priorities?”

“If there are issues that we disagree on that are more important to you than protecting democracy, protecting the right to choose, protecting the right to a union, protecting health care, then so be it,” he continued.

On CNN, Stevens stated her actions weren’t anti-Democratic, despite tension surrounding El-Sayed’s criticism of Israel. Trump praised Stevens’ decision, commending her bravery and loyalty to Michigan.

El-Sayed remains ahead in the polls. The New York Times/Siena poll, conducted just before Election Day, showed him leading Rogers by a notable margin at 53% to 42%. These results reflect a consistent lead in surveys for El-Sayed since September.