Abdul El-Sayed Wants to “Throw Some Righteous Punches”
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StudentNation
/ January 23, 2026
Abdul El-Sayed Wants to “Throw Some Righteous Punches”
As the Democratic Party debates its identity, this progressive primary candidate and doctor is primed for a breakout moment in the race for Michigan’s Senate seat.
Heather Chen
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Abdul El-Sayed at a town hall during his campaign for Michigan’s Senate primary.(Abdul for U.S. Senate)
This story was produced for StudentNation, a program of the Nation Fund for Independent Journalism, which is dedicated to highlighting the best of student journalism. For more StudentNation, check out our archive or learn more about the program here. StudentNation is made possible through generous funding from The Puffin Foundation. If you’re a student and you have an article idea, please send pitches and questions to [email protected].
Abdul El-Sayed was only 32 when he first ran for office in 2018, facing off against Gretchen Whitmer and Shri Thanedar in the Michigan governor’s race. With a background as a public health official, he was a relative unknown to most voters. But by the time the primary election day rolled around, El-Sayed had surged in the polls, claiming just under a third of the vote.
His candidacy was defined by a progressive vision for America, centered on healthcare, public education, and fighting poverty—and bolstered by an endorsement from Senator Bernie Sanders. Now, eight years later, El-Sayed will be on the ballot again in 2026 in the primary for Michigan’s Senate seat.
Like in 2018, El-Sayed is one of several Democratic candidates, along with Representative Haley Stevens and state Senator Mallory McMorrow, vying to represent the party in November’s general election. Stevens, who has received support from the party establishment, is by far the most conservative, and McMorrow, whose policies fall somewhere in between Stevens and El-Sayed, is a rising star in her own right. While polling results show Stevens ahead, anything could happen with much of the race yet to come.
The election comes at a moment when the Democratic Party is debating its identity, and El-Sayed is primed for a breakout moment. Unabashed on his stance about Palestine, ICE, Medicare for All, and getting corporate money out of politics, he has fired up a younger voter base in Michigan. Those issues, after all, are what made him so compelling to voters the last time around.
“He’s the most person-forward and the least corporation-forward,” said Elisabeth Beer, a senior at the University of Michigan. Beer learned about El-Sayed through a friend and has since been collecting petition signatures for the candidate. Like …
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Abdul El-Sayed Wants to “Throw Some Righteous Punches”
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Current Issue
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StudentNation
/ January 23, 2026
Abdul El-Sayed Wants to “Throw Some Righteous Punches”
As the Democratic Party debates its identity, this progressive primary candidate and doctor is primed for a breakout moment in the race for Michigan’s Senate seat.
Heather Chen
Share
Copy Link
X (Twitter)
Bluesky Pocket
Ad Policy
Abdul El-Sayed at a town hall during his campaign for Michigan’s Senate primary.(Abdul for U.S. Senate)
This story was produced for StudentNation, a program of the Nation Fund for Independent Journalism, which is dedicated to highlighting the best of student journalism. For more StudentNation, check out our archive or learn more about the program here. StudentNation is made possible through generous funding from The Puffin Foundation. If you’re a student and you have an article idea, please send pitches and questions to [email protected].
Abdul El-Sayed was only 32 when he first ran for office in 2018, facing off against Gretchen Whitmer and Shri Thanedar in the Michigan governor’s race. With a background as a public health official, he was a relative unknown to most voters. But by the time the primary election day rolled around, El-Sayed had surged in the polls, claiming just under a third of the vote.
His candidacy was defined by a progressive vision for America, centered on healthcare, public education, and fighting poverty—and bolstered by an endorsement from Senator Bernie Sanders. Now, eight years later, El-Sayed will be on the ballot again in 2026 in the primary for Michigan’s Senate seat.
Like in 2018, El-Sayed is one of several Democratic candidates, along with Representative Haley Stevens and state Senator Mallory McMorrow, vying to represent the party in November’s general election. Stevens, who has received support from the party establishment, is by far the most conservative, and McMorrow, whose policies fall somewhere in between Stevens and El-Sayed, is a rising star in her own right. While polling results show Stevens ahead, anything could happen with much of the race yet to come.
The election comes at a moment when the Democratic Party is debating its identity, and El-Sayed is primed for a breakout moment. Unabashed on his stance about Palestine, ICE, Medicare for All, and getting corporate money out of politics, he has fired up a younger voter base in Michigan. Those issues, after all, are what made him so compelling to voters the last time around.
“He’s the most person-forward and the least corporation-forward,” said Elisabeth Beer, a senior at the University of Michigan. Beer learned about El-Sayed through a friend and has since been collecting petition signatures for the candidate. Like …
Abdul El-Sayed Wants to “Throw Some Righteous Punches”
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Current Issue
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StudentNation
/ January 23, 2026
Abdul El-Sayed Wants to “Throw Some Righteous Punches”
As the Democratic Party debates its identity, this progressive primary candidate and doctor is primed for a breakout moment in the race for Michigan’s Senate seat.
Heather Chen
Share
Copy Link
Facebook
X (Twitter)
Bluesky Pocket
Email
Ad Policy
Abdul El-Sayed at a town hall during his campaign for Michigan’s Senate primary.(Abdul for U.S. Senate)
This story was produced for StudentNation, a program of the Nation Fund for Independent Journalism, which is dedicated to highlighting the best of student journalism. For more StudentNation, check out our archive or learn more about the program here. StudentNation is made possible through generous funding from The Puffin Foundation. If you’re a student and you have an article idea, please send pitches and questions to [email protected].
Abdul El-Sayed was only 32 when he first ran for office in 2018, facing off against Gretchen Whitmer and Shri Thanedar in the Michigan governor’s race. With a background as a public health official, he was a relative unknown to most voters. But by the time the primary election day rolled around, El-Sayed had surged in the polls, claiming just under a third of the vote.
His candidacy was defined by a progressive vision for America, centered on healthcare, public education, and fighting poverty—and bolstered by an endorsement from Senator Bernie Sanders. Now, eight years later, El-Sayed will be on the ballot again in 2026 in the primary for Michigan’s Senate seat.
Like in 2018, El-Sayed is one of several Democratic candidates, along with Representative Haley Stevens and state Senator Mallory McMorrow, vying to represent the party in November’s general election. Stevens, who has received support from the party establishment, is by far the most conservative, and McMorrow, whose policies fall somewhere in between Stevens and El-Sayed, is a rising star in her own right. While polling results show Stevens ahead, anything could happen with much of the race yet to come.
The election comes at a moment when the Democratic Party is debating its identity, and El-Sayed is primed for a breakout moment. Unabashed on his stance about Palestine, ICE, Medicare for All, and getting corporate money out of politics, he has fired up a younger voter base in Michigan. Those issues, after all, are what made him so compelling to voters the last time around.
“He’s the most person-forward and the least corporation-forward,” said Elisabeth Beer, a senior at the University of Michigan. Beer learned about El-Sayed through a friend and has since been collecting petition signatures for the candidate. Like …
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