El-Sayed seeks Obama help in Michigan Senate race

Abdul El-Sayed said Sunday that he hopes Barack Obama will campaign for him in Michigan this fall, as Democrats quickly line up behind their newly nominated Senate candidate in one of the country’s most competitive races.

El-Sayed, a physician, epidemiologist and former county health department director, narrowly defeated Rep. Haley Stevens in Tuesday’s Democratic primary, setting up a general election against Republican nominee Mike Rogers. The race is expected to be a major test of whether El-Sayed’s progressive politics can win in a battleground state and help Democrats in their effort to regain control of the Senate.

“It was a really warm and inspiring conversation,” El-Sayed told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” about his call with Obama after the primary. “I was grateful for his advice.” Asked whether Obama would join him on the campaign trail, he said, “I really hope so.”

The Guardian reported that Obama also called Stevens, who urged the former president to “come to Michigan and campaign for the Democrats,” according to Politico. Stevens has since backed El-Sayed, telling NBC News there is “no drama” between them.

Other Democrats have moved quickly to support the nominee. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday that he had a “very good talk” with El-Sayed and told reporters, “We are going to win in Michigan. We’re going to beat Rogers, and we’re going to take back the Senate.” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer campaigned Thursday with El-Sayed and other Democratic nominees for statewide office. Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut said on “Meet the Press” that he expects many Senate Democrats to campaign in Michigan.

El-Sayed won the primary with support from national progressive figures including Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Ro Khanna. He rejected special interest money, pledged to support “Medicare for All” and said he would vote against support for Israel. Stevens ran as a more moderate candidate and received tens of millions of dollars from industry groups and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a bipartisan group that backs politicians who support Israel.

El-Sayed dismissed concerns about party unity after Stevens and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, who suspended her campaign in July, together received more votes than he did. “Five hundred thousand more Democrats voted than did Republicans in that election,” he said. “If that happens in November, we are going to win in a landslide.”

Republicans have already attacked El-Sayed as “radical” and “dangerous.” The National Republican Senatorial Committee released videos using his full name, Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed, and Donald Trump has repeatedly done the same. El-Sayed compared the tactic to Republican attacks that used Obama’s full name, Barack Hussein Obama.

“At the end of the day, it’s not radical to believe that people should be able to afford their groceries,” he said. “It’s not radical to believe that you should have healthcare in this country.”

The Guardian reported that Trump posted an image Saturday on Truth Social comparing himself and Melania Trump with El-Sayed, who is Muslim, and his wife, Sarah Jukaku, wearing a hijab. The caption read, “Two VERY DIFFERENT America’s.”

“Yeah, he’s right,” El-Sayed told CNN. He said voters face “two different visions of America,” adding, “Donald Trump’s vision is the one you’re living in right now. Can you afford your gas? Can you afford your groceries?”

El-Sayed also addressed scrutiny of his appearances with progressive media figure Hasan Piker, who previously said on a livestream that “America deserved 9/11” and later apologized. El-Sayed called the comment “dumb” and described its resurfacing as “gotcha politics,” but did not say whether he would campaign with Piker in the general election.

“I’m less concerned now with who I’m campaigning with and a lot more concerned about who I’m campaigning to,” El-Sayed said. “We’ve got a lot of work to do to continue to build the coalition that’s going to beat Mike Rogers.”