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Abdul El-Sayed says he hopes to campaign with Obama after ‘warm and inspiring’ call
NBC News • • general
Key Points:
- Abdul El-Sayed, Michigan’s Democratic Senate nominee, revealed he spoke with former President Barack Obama after his primary win and hopes Obama will campaign with him this fall to help win back the Senate.
- El-Sayed, a progressive backed by figures like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, narrowly defeated Rep. Haley Stevens in the primary and dismissed concerns about his support, emphasizing unity against Donald Trump.
- He addressed controversy over his association with Twitch streamer Hasan Piker by calling Piker’s past 9/11 comments “dumb” while stressing the importance of engaging diverse voter groups for the general election.
- El-Sayed’s progressive platform includes rejecting special interest money, opposing support for Israel, and advocating for Medicare for All, contrasting with Stevens’ moderate, pro-Israel stance supported by AIPAC.
- Republicans have launched attacks using El-Sayed’s full name, drawing parallels to attacks on Obama, but prominent Democrats including Chuck Schumer, Gretchen Whitmer, and Chris Murphy have rallied behind him for the competitive general election against GOP nominee Mike Rogers.
