Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed Launches Bid (Source: WLNS 6 News/Youtube)

Abdul Ed-Sayed, a progressive Michigan Democrat and Israel critic, launched a Senate campaign on Thursday, saying that Congress should “fight back” against the Trump administration. 

“I believe pretty profoundly in the goodness of Michiganders,” El-Sayed said. “And I believe that they’re not looking for what your name is. They’re looking for what you intend to do for them. I know I am going to be the best listener in the race.”

El-Sayed, the child of an Egyptian immigrant, first emerged onto the national political landscape in 2018 when he launched an ultimately unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign in the Wolverine State. During that campaign, El-Sayed received endorsements from fellow progressive stalwarts Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). 

El-Sayed has also positioned himself as a fierce critic of Israel. The progressive champion was a prominent supporter of the “Uncommitted movement” a coalition of Democratic officials which refused to support the 2024 Kamala Harris presidential campaign over her support for Israel. However, El-Sayed later clarified that he would support Harris over Donald Trump in the general election.  

El-Sayed has been especially critical of Israel’s war in Gaza. On Oct. 21, 2023, two weeks after the Hamas slaughter of roughly 1200 people in southern Israel, the progressive politician accused Israel of “genocide.” He also compared Israel’s defensive military operations to the Hamas terrorist group’s conduct on Oct. 7, writing “You can both condemn Hamas terrorism AND Israel’s murder since.”

In comments to Politico, El-Sayed criticized Democrats’ handling of the Israel-Palestine conflict, arguing that Democrats should become the “party of peace and justice” and said that they “ought not to be the party sending bombs and money to foreign militaries to drop bombs on other people’s kids in their schools and their hospitals.” He called on Democrats to stop supporting financial support for Israel, saying “we should be spending that money here at home.” 

Some believe that El-Sayed’s Egyptian heritage and critical views of Israel could buoy him in Michigan, a state with a significant Arab American and Muslim population. 

Sanders released a statement Thursday, issuing another endorsement of El-Sayed in an attempt to galvanize left-wing support for the progressive hopeful. 

“We need candidates who are prepared to stand up for the working class of this country and take on the oligarchy. We need candidates who will stand up to Trump’s authoritarianism and protect our democratic way of life. It is my strong view that Abdul El-Sayed is the kind of leader who will do just that,” Sanders wrote.