NPR's Newsmakers

Key Points:

• Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed emphasized that Democrats must act boldly and present an ambitious legislative agenda to maintain voter trust after their midterm election gains, warning that returning to past approaches risks losing their mandate.
• El-Sayed called for new Senate leadership, endorsing Sen. Chris Van Hollen to challenge Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, praising Van Hollen's willingness to take risks and fight for progressive causes.
• Key priorities for El-Sayed include ending the war in Iran, passing Medicare for All, and abolishing ICE, and he expressed openness to bipartisan cooperation despite ideological differences.
• El-Sayed challenged former President Trump to veto major healthcare legislation, suggesting he would even name such legislation after Trump to gain bipartisan support, while dismissing Trump's past personal attacks as ineffective.
• Making history as the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate, El-Sayed plans to swear his oath on the Quran, highlighting the Constitution as the true foundation of his allegiance and American democracy.