Abdul El-Sayed Won’t Back Down
Abdul El-Sayed is running a progressive, populist campaign for the U.S. Senate in Michigan. He is notable for his vocal criticism of Israel and his anti-establishment platform within the Democratic Party.
Why it matters
The campaign serves as a litmus test for the viability of the Bernie Sanders-aligned wing of the Democratic Party in a critical swing state.
He wants to win the Michigan Senate race his way—as an unabashed progressive populist and a fierce critic of Israel.
Sarah Rice / Bloomberg / Getty September 20, 2026, 7 AM ET Share Save A bdul El-Sayed certainly enjoys an argument . Our first interview, in a kebab restaurant in Dearborn, Michigan, spun out into a wide-ranging discussion of America’s Middle East policy, and ended with me saying, reluctantly, “Well, let’s not relitigate the Six-Day War.”
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