Exclusive: Michigan US Senate Candidate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed on Healthcare, Trump and More

Dr. Abdul El‑Sayed, a physician‑epidemiologist turned Michigan Senate candidate, frames health care as a civil right rather than a market commodity. He highlights his record rebuilding Detroit’s health department, leading Wayne County’s health services, and co‑authoring a Medicare‑for‑All manifesto. By refusing corporate donations, he positions himself as the only Senate hopeful in the state who can claim total financial independence, a stance he argues restores credibility to the push for a single‑payer system that could cut national health expenditures while saving roughly 68,000 lives each year, according to a Lancet analysis.

El‑Sayed’s campaign strategy pivots on grassroots town‑hall meetings, even in traditionally Republican strongholds like the Upper Peninsula. These sessions have drawn Trump supporters who resonate with his blunt critique of soaring health‑care premiums, $18 million CEO salaries, and $700 million in medical debt he helped eliminate. He juxtaposes those domestic burdens against a proposed $1.5 trillion Pentagon budget—about 40 percent higher than the previous administration—arguing that reallocating even a fraction of that spending could fund universal coverage, improve schools, and repair crumbling infrastructure across Michigan.

On foreign policy, El‑Sayed condemns the U.S. role in the Gaza conflict, labeling it genocide and demanding an end to funding wars that divert resources from American families. He challenges AIPAC’s influence and the $20 million spending aimed at his race, insisting his tax dollars belong in Michigan, not overseas bombings. When pressed about his alliance with controversial streamer Hassan Piker, he defends open dialogue over cancel culture, emphasizing that engaging diverse voices is essential for rebuilding trust and delivering honest, hopeful solutions to voters.