Abdul
El-Sayed
Abdul El-Sayed is Michigan's 2026 Democratic U.S. Senate nominee, a physician and former Detroit and Wayne County public health director.
- sources
- 36
- positions
- 12
- endorsements
- 37
Background
Abdul El-Sayed is a physician, public-health professional, and the 2026 Democratic nominee for Michigan's U.S. Senate seat. Born and raised in southeast Michigan, he currently lives in Ann Arbor. He graduated from the University of Michigan, earned his medical degree from Columbia University, and received a doctorate from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. [3, 5]
Before entering electoral politics, El-Sayed served as director of Detroit's Health Department and later as director of Wayne County's Department of Health, Human & Veterans Services, positions he held as appointments rather than elected offices. He left the Wayne County post in April 2025 to launch his Senate campaign. [3, 5]
El-Sayed ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for Michigan governor in 2018. In August 2026, he won the Democratic primary for the open U.S. Senate seat vacated by Sen. Gary Peters, who chose not to seek reelection. [5, 17]
He faces Republican Mike Rogers in the general election scheduled for November 3, 2026. High-profile Democrats including former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Kamala Harris have campaigned alongside him. [15, 16, 19]
At a glance
- Party
- Democratic
- Running for
- U.S. Senate, Michigan
- Election
- Nov 3, 2026
- Current office
- 2026 Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate (Michigan)
- Website
- abdulforsenate.com(opens in a new tab)
Where they stand
Each position links to the page it was drawn from. Quotes are verbatim.
Timeline
- Date unknowncontroversyEl-Sayed apologizes for remarks made after a March synagogue attack
In a statement reported in late August, El-Sayed said his post-attack comments 'may have been misconstrued to justify something I did not mean to justify.' The remarks later featured in AIPAC-linked attack mailers.
AIPAC's super PAC starts spending again in the Michigan ... · Oct 9, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Nov 3newsMichigan general election: El-Sayed faces Rogers for U.S. Senate seat
El-Sayed is listed on the November 3 general election ballot as the Democratic candidate against Republican Mike Rogers for Michigan's open U.S. Senate seat.
Voting Guide: What Michigan voters need to know ahead of ... · Oct 10, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Oct 15filingFEC campaign finance reports due, expected to reveal full post-primary fundraising totals
The next federal campaign finance reports were due October 15. As of October 11, those reports were not yet available; they were expected to provide the first full accounting of candidate fundraising since the August primary.
AIPAC, Soros and the Money That Has Shaped Michigan's ... · Oct 7, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Oct 9newsAIPAC-linked United Democracy Project spends $95,000 on mailers opposing El-Sayed
AIPAC's super PAC, United Democracy Project, reported $95,000 in mailer spending targeting 130,000 Jewish voters in Michigan. The group had spent approximately $33 million against El-Sayed and for his primary opponent during the Democratic primary.
AIPAC's super PAC starts spending again in the Michigan ... · Oct 9, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Oct 8controversyPast scathing Obama critique by El-Sayed resurfaces ahead of planned joint rally
Fox News reported that prior critical remarks El-Sayed had made about Barack Obama resurfaced in the lead-up to the announcement of their planned joint campaign appearance in Detroit.
El-Sayed's scathing Obama critique resurfaces ahead of ... · Oct 8, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Oct 8debateEl-Sayed and Rogers clash in first Michigan Senate debate in Grand Rapids
The two nominees debated in Grand Rapids, trading attacks on health care, drug prices, Israel, and U.S. military aid. Rogers said he would welcome AIPAC support. A second debate was scheduled for October 21.
Rogers, El-Sayed trade jabs in first debate for Michigan ... · Oct 8, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Oct 7controversyRogers seizes on October 7 anniversary to attack El-Sayed on Israel
On the anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack, Rogers used the occasion to attack El-Sayed over his positions on Israel and U.S. military aid, intensifying a key campaign flashpoint.
Michigan's Mike Rogers Seizes on October 7 Anniversary to Attack ... · Oct 7, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Oct 5newsEl-Sayed campaign announces events with Obama, AOC, and Mamdani
El-Sayed's campaign announced upcoming appearances including a Detroit event with former President Barack Obama on October 24 and events with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani in New York. Obama's appearance was not characterized as an official endorsement.
El Sayed announces campaign stops with Obama, AOC, and Mamdani · Oct 5, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Oct 5pollQuantus Insights poll shows El-Sayed leading Rogers 48% to 47%
A Quantus Insights poll of 744 likely Michigan voters conducted around October 5–6 found El-Sayed ahead by one point. A YouGov poll around the same period showed a similar 49%–48% margin.
politicalwire.com › 2026/10/05 › abdul-el-sayedAbdul El-Sayed Maintains Lead in Michigan Senate Race · Oct 5, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Oct 3newsEl-Sayed and Slotkin hold joint event in Warren to promote Democratic unity
El-Sayed and former Sen. Elissa Slotkin appeared together in Warren, Michigan, making a public appeal for Democratic unity ahead of the November 3 general election.
Abdul El-Sayed, Elissa Slotkin join forces to target Mike Rogers · Oct 4, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Oct 2endorsementNorthern Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters endorses El-Sayed
The carpenters' union announced its endorsement of El-Sayed. His campaign also listed support from the Michigan AFL-CIO, UAW, LiUNA, Teamsters Joint Council 43, and National Nurses United.
The Northern Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters Endorses Dr ... · Oct 2, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Oct 1pollMitchell Research poll shows El-Sayed leading Rogers 45.6% to 41.4%
A Mitchell Research poll of likely Michigan voters found El-Sayed ahead by about four points, with 6% undecided and a 3.8-point margin of error.
Mitchell poll shows Abdul El-Sayed leading Mike Rogers in ... · Oct 5, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Sep 30pollFox News poll shows El-Sayed leading Rogers 50% to 49% among likely voters
A Fox News poll of 1,028 likely Michigan voters conducted around September 30 showed El-Sayed with a razor-thin one-point lead over Rogers.
Recent polls give El-Sayed edge against Rogers. What ... · Oct 1, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Sep 29newsEl-Sayed announces food, water, and health policy platform targeting MAHA voters
El-Sayed released a platform addressing pesticides, drinking-water standards, food safety, and access to healthy local food, framing it as common ground with some 'Make America Healthy Again' voters.
ICYMI: “Abdul El-Sayed Courts MAHA Voters" With Policy Agenda ... · Sep 29, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Sep 24newsMichigan mails absentee ballots to voters ahead of November 3 election
Michigan began mailing absentee ballots to voters on September 24; statewide early in-person voting was scheduled to begin October 24, with local variation.
Detroit Free Press 2026 voter guide: Candidates on data centers, affordability and more · Oct 3, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Sep 24pollMarist poll shows El-Sayed leading Rogers 51% to 44%
A Marist poll conducted September 24–27 found El-Sayed leading Rogers among registered Michigan voters by seven points, 51% to 44%, with a 3.8-point margin of error.
El-Sayed's lead widens to seven points in new Michigan poll · Oct 6, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Sep 23endorsementMichigan Education Association recommends El-Sayed for U.S. Senate
The MEA, Michigan's major teachers' union, listed El-Sayed as its recommended candidate for the U.S. Senate race on its full list of 2026 candidate recommendations.
MEA announces full list of candidate recommendations for Election 2026 - Michigan Education Association · Sep 23, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Sep 15controversyEl-Sayed grilled on Hasan Piker, Israel, and socialist ties at candidate event
At a candidate forum, El-Sayed faced pointed questions from others about his associations with streamer Hasan Piker, his views on Israel, campaign contributions, and his political positions.
El-Sayed grilled on Piker, Israel and socialist ties after Mike ... · Sep 15, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Aug 4endorsementElissa Slotkin endorses El-Sayed following primary victory
Slotkin, who had not endorsed during the primary, backed El-Sayed after his primary win. The two later appeared together publicly on October 3.
Abdul El-Sayed, Elissa Slotkin join forces to target Mike Rogers · Oct 4, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Aug 4newsEl-Sayed wins Democratic primary over Rep. Haley Stevens by ~1 point
El-Sayed defeated Rep. Haley Stevens approximately 48.5% to 47.5% in the Democratic primary, becoming the Democratic nominee for Michigan's U.S. Senate seat.
In combative first Michigan Senate debate, Rogers and El-Sayed trade attacks · Oct 9, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Endorsements
- LCV Action organizationListed on the campaign's endorsement page; no date established.
- Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison officialListed on the campaign's endorsement page; no date established.
- MoveOn organizationListed on the campaign's endorsement page; no date established.
- End Citizens United organizationListed on the campaign's endorsement page; no date established.
- Sunrise Movement organizationListed on the campaign's endorsement page; no date established.
- Former Vice President Kamala Harris officialListed on the campaign's endorsement page; no date established.
- Rep. Ro Khanna officialListed on the campaign's endorsement page; no date established.
- Rep. Summer Lee officialListed on the campaign's endorsement page; no date established.
- Rep. Analilia Mejia officialListed on the campaign's endorsement page; no date established.
- Rep. Ayanna Pressley officialListed on the campaign's endorsement page; no date established.
- National Nurses United unionListed on the campaign's endorsement page; no date established.
- Indivisible organizationListed on the campaign's endorsement page; no date established.
- Congressional Black Caucus PAC (CBC PAC) organizationListed on the campaign's endorsement page; no date established.
- Sen. Chris Van Hollen officialListed on the campaign's endorsement page; no date established.
- Rep. Rashida Tlaib officialListed on the campaign's endorsement page; no date established.
- Rep. Ilhan Omar officialListed on the campaign's endorsement page; no date established.
- Rep. Lateefah Simon officialListed on the campaign's endorsement page; no date established.
- Rep. Greg Casar officialListed on the campaign's endorsement page; no date established.
- Working Families Party organizationListed on the campaign's endorsement page; no date established.
- Reproductive Freedom for All organizationListed on the campaign's endorsement page; no date established.
- GIFFORDS organizationListed on the campaign's endorsement page; no date established.
- Sen. Tina Smith officialListed on the campaign's endorsement page; no date established.
- Rep. Pramila Jayapal officialListed on the campaign's endorsement page; no date established.
- Rep. Delia Ramirez officialListed on the campaign's endorsement page; no date established.
- Rep. Adelita Grijalva officialListed on the campaign's endorsement page; no date established.
- Detroit Free Press newspaperThe Free Press endorsed El-Sayed in the general-election Senate race against Mike Rogers. freep.com · Sep 27, 2026
- Human Rights Campaign PAC organizationDated campaign announcement. abdulforsenate.com · Sep 17, 2026
- Virginia Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi officialDated campaign announcement. abdulforsenate.com · Sep 16, 2026
- Planned Parenthood Action Fund organizationThe organization's press release is dated August 12; the campaign posted its announcement August 11. plannedparenthoodaction.org · Aug 12, 2026
- Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) officialDated campaign announcement. abdulforsenate.com · Jul 27, 2026
- Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) officialWarren endorsed El-Sayed after previously endorsing Mallory McMorrow, according to The Michigan Daily. michigandaily.com · Jul 20, 2026
- The Michigan Daily Editorial Board newspaperThe editorial board endorsed El-Sayed for the Democratic primary. michigandaily.com · Jul 10, 2026
- Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) officialReported by The Michigan Daily. michigandaily.com · Jul 7, 2026
- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) officialReported by The Michigan Daily. michigandaily.com · Jul 2, 2026
- Pennsylvania State Rep. Chris Rabb officialDated campaign announcement. abdulforsenate.com · Jun 30, 2026
- United Auto Workers (UAW) unionThe UAW cited El-Sayed's support for Medicare for All, a ban on stock buybacks, and his refusal to accept corporate PAC money. michiganpublic.org · Jun 5, 2026
- Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) officialSanders endorsed El-Sayed on the day El-Sayed announced his Senate campaign. michigandaily.com · Apr 17, 2025
Campaign finance
Totals filed with the Federal Election Commission for the 2026 election cycle.
- Raised
- $14.51M
- Spent
- $11.96M
- Cash on hand
- $2.55M
As of Jul 15, 2026. Filings are periodic, so recent money may not be included yet. ↳ FEC record S6MI00418(opens in a new tab)
Sources 36
- [1] Abdul El-Sayed says Democrats must ‘win by massive numbers’ to fend off GOP election denial(opens in a new tab) Oct 11, 2026
- [2] Voting Guide: What Michigan voters need to know ahead of ...(opens in a new tab) Oct 10, 2026
- [3] AIPAC's super PAC starts spending again in the Michigan ...(opens in a new tab) Oct 9, 2026
- [4] In combative first Michigan Senate debate, Rogers and El-Sayed trade attacks(opens in a new tab) Oct 9, 2026
- [5] El-Sayed Asked If He Supports Israel or Iran: "Both Have ...(opens in a new tab) Oct 8, 2026
- [6] El-Sayed's scathing Obama critique resurfaces ahead of ...(opens in a new tab) Oct 8, 2026
- [7] Rogers, El-Sayed trade jabs in first debate for Michigan ...(opens in a new tab) Oct 8, 2026
- [8] AIPAC, Soros and the Money That Has Shaped Michigan's ...(opens in a new tab) Oct 7, 2026
- [9] Michigan's Mike Rogers Seizes on October 7 Anniversary to Attack ...(opens in a new tab) Oct 7, 2026
- [10] Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed\u00a0packs Port Huron theater for rally(opens in a new tab) Oct 7, 2026
- [11] El-Sayed's lead widens to seven points in new Michigan poll(opens in a new tab) Oct 6, 2026
- [12] El Sayed announces campaign stops with Obama, AOC, and Mamdani(opens in a new tab) Oct 5, 2026
- [13] Mitchell poll shows Abdul El-Sayed leading Mike Rogers in ...(opens in a new tab) Oct 5, 2026
- [14] politicalwire.com › 2026/10/05 › abdul-el-sayedAbdul El-Sayed Maintains Lead in Michigan Senate Race(opens in a new tab) Oct 5, 2026
- [15] Abdul El-Sayed, Elissa Slotkin join forces to target Mike Rogers(opens in a new tab) Oct 4, 2026
- [16] Detroit Free Press 2026 voter guide: Candidates on data centers, affordability and more(opens in a new tab) Oct 3, 2026
- [17] Where U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed stands on Iran, Trump, more(opens in a new tab) Oct 3, 2026
- [18] The Northern Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters Endorses Dr ...(opens in a new tab) Oct 2, 2026
- [19] Recent polls give El-Sayed edge against Rogers. What ...(opens in a new tab) Oct 1, 2026
- [20] ICYMI: “Abdul El-Sayed Courts MAHA Voters" With Policy Agenda ...(opens in a new tab) Sep 29, 2026
- [21] Abdul El-Sayed or Mike Rogers? Freep's pick in U.S. Senate race(opens in a new tab) Sep 27, 2026
- [22] MEA announces full list of candidate recommendations for Election 2026 - Michigan Education Association(opens in a new tab) Sep 23, 2026
- [23] Human Rights Campaign Endorses Abdul El-Sayed for US Senate(opens in a new tab) Sep 17, 2026
- [24] Virginia Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi Endorses Abdul ...(opens in a new tab) Sep 16, 2026
- [25] El-Sayed grilled on Piker, Israel and socialist ties after Mike ...(opens in a new tab) Sep 15, 2026
- [26] Michigan Socialist El-Sayed Wants To 'Tweak' Second Amendment(opens in a new tab) Aug 13, 2026
- [27] Planned Parenthood Action Fund Endorses El-Sayed, ...(opens in a new tab) Aug 12, 2026
- [28] El-Sayed and Stevens trade jabs over campaign finance, DTE in ...(opens in a new tab) Aug 1, 2026
- [29] The Daily breaks down key endorsements in Michigan Democratic Senate primary race(opens in a new tab) Jul 31, 2026
- [30] Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman Endorses Dr. Abdul El-Sayed for U.S. Senate(opens in a new tab) Jul 27, 2026
- [31] NEW AD: 1-844-ABDUL-4-U(opens in a new tab) Jul 23, 2026
- [32] Full Transcript: Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El ...(opens in a new tab) Jul 20, 2026
- [33] The Daily's Editorial Board Endorses Abdul El-Sayed(opens in a new tab) Jul 10, 2026
- [34] Dr. Abdul El-Sayed Cements Frontrunner Status in First ...(opens in a new tab) Jul 8, 2026
- [35] Dr. Abdul El-Sayed Announces Endorsement from Pennsylvania ...(opens in a new tab) Jun 30, 2026
- [36] UAW backs El-Sayed over other Democrats running for US ...(opens in a new tab) Jun 5, 2026