Michigan Senate race: Abdul El‑Sayed gains Sanders and AOC endorsements

Physician Abdul El‑Sayed, a former Democratic gubernatorial candidate, is running for the U.S. Senate seat from Michigan. His campaign emphasizes single‑payer health care, Palestinian rights and positions him against the influence of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). El‑Sayed, who is Muslim and of Egyptian descent, draws support from the state’s sizable Arab‑American community, particularly in Dearborn.

Senator Bernie Sanders announced his endorsement, calling the contest a referendum on the Democratic Party’s direction and accusing establishment forces of favoring the billionaire class. New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez also endorsed El‑Sayed, releasing a video with the candidate and highlighting the progressive effort to challenge AIPAC’s financial power in Democratic primaries. Their backing signals an unusual degree of coordination between leading figures of the progressive wing.

The endorsements have turned the Michigan race into a high‑profile test of whether the progressive movement can translate grassroots energy into a Senate seat ahead of the 2026 election cycle, drawing national attention to intra‑party debates over policy and identity.