Michigan Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed Responds to Trump’s ‘Two Very Different Americas’ Post

Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed, who won Michigan’s Senate primary, said he agreed with President Donald Trump’s claim that the two candidates represent “very different” versions of the United States. In a CNN interview, El-Sayed contrasted Trump’s agenda with his own, noting that many Americans struggle to afford gas and groceries and that his campaign aims to address inequality and expand health-care access.

El-Sayed, an epidemiologist, will face Republican former congressman Mike Rogers in the November race, a contest viewed as pivotal for control of the Senate. He has positioned himself as a capitalist seeking reforms rather than a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. Former President Barack Obama spoke with El-Sayed after his primary victory, signaling early support for the campaign.

During a recent rally, Trump called El-Sayed a communist and used profanity, prompting a response from the candidate that he does not “let [his] own go in the middle of the Oval Office.” El-Sayed also noted that Republicans have labeled him the “most radical Senate candidate in America” and that Trump frequently uses his full name, a tactic he likened to the way opponents referenced Obama’s middle name.

If elected, El-Sayed could become the first Muslim U.S. senator. He emphasized that his platform includes affordable groceries, universal health-care, clean air and water, and opposition to election denial and excessive personal profit from public office.