Abdul El-Sayed

[{"question": "Ballotpedia survey responses", "answer_html": "<p>See also: <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection</a></p>\n<div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-xs-10 col-md-6 col-xs-offset-1 col-md-offset-3\"><p><a href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\"><img align=\"middle\" alt=\"Candidate Connection\" src=\"https://cdn.ballotpedia.org/images/8/88/Candidate_Connection_Logo.png\" width=\"90%\"/></a></p></div></div>\n<p>Abdul El-Sayed completed <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection</a> survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by El-Sayed's responses.</p>\n<p><span class=\"expand-all\">Expand all</span> | <span class=\"collapse-all\">Collapse all</span></p>\n<div aria-multiselectable=\"true\" class=\"panel-group\" id=\"accordion\" role=\"tablist\"><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-351084-2026-03-17\" id=\"heading-bio-351084-2026-03-17\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-bio-351084-2026-03-17\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-351084-2026-03-17\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWho are you? Tell us about yourself.\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading-bio-351084-2026-03-17\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-bio-351084-2026-03-17\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tAbdul El-Sayed is running for the U.S. Senate because life in Michigan shouldn’t be this hard or expensive. After a career of making government work for Michiganders, he wants to make Washington work for you.\n<p>Abdul rebuilt Detroit’s Health Department post-bankruptcy, then restructured Wayne County’s Department of Health, Human &amp; Veterans Services to serve 1.8 million residents. He secured free glasses for kids, removed lead from schools, took on corporate polluters, and expanded Narcan access. He also spearheaded a program canceling up to $700 million in medical debt for 300,000 Michiganders. His impact earned him recognition from the Michigan LCV and Crain’s Detroit Business.\n</p><p>A nationwide healthcare expert, Abdul authored Medicare for All: A Citizen’s Guide. In 2020, he served on President Biden’s Unity Task Force for Healthcare, helping craft policies that are lowering prescription drug prices today.\n</p><p>Born and raised in Southeast Michigan's public schools, he captained his football, wrestling, and lacrosse teams. He was raised by his father, Mohamed, an Egyptian immigrant, and his stepmom, Jackie, whose Michigan roots trace to the 1800s. He graduated from the University of Michigan with highest distinction, earned his MD from Columbia, and a doctorate from Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar.\n</p>\nAbdul lives in Ann Arbor with his wife, Sarah, and daughters Emmalee and Serene. He is a proud, card-carrying union member of the AFT, SEIU, National Writers Union, and AAUP.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-351084-2026-03-17\" id=\"heading-key-message-351084-2026-03-17\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-key-message-351084-2026-03-17\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-351084-2026-03-17\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tPlease list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading-key-message-351084-2026-03-17\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-key-message-351084-2026-03-17\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><ul><li>Money Out of Politics. I believe the influence of corporate money in our politics is essentially corrupting. I will fight for legislation to take on the power of corporations to influence our political system. As a US Senator, I will sponsor legislation to ban corporate money from our elections, nominate Justices to the Supreme Court who will overturn Citizens United, and support legislation to bring transparency to lobbying and “dark money” political organizations. I am committed to using Michigan’s voice in the US Senate to hold the government accountable to the people, and I am the only candidate in this race who has never and will never accept corporate contributions.</li><li>Money in Your Pocket. The affordability crisis has made it too hard for working people to get by. Millions of Americans are drowning in medical debt brought on by our broken healthcare system. In the Senate, I will fight against corporate tax breaks and to enforce antitrust laws, so corporations can’t keep buying each other and price-gouging us. We can create a government that invests in the needs of working people and makes it possible to afford a home, put food on the table, and create a future for their kids. I will fight to ensure every worker has the right to join a union through the PRO act, and earn a fair wage with one good job. And we must tax billionaire wealth to invest in education, healthcare, and infrastructure.</li><li>Medicare for All. There hasn’t been a Democratic doctor in the US Senate since 1969. We need one. I literally wrote the book on Medicare for All because healthcare is a human right, not a privilege. No one should choose between getting the care they need or going into debt in the richest country in the world. I will sponsor legislation to enact M4A and eliminate medical debt nationwide. M4A guarantees comprehensive coverage, eliminates co-pays and deductibles, and lowers overall costs through reducing administrative waste and negotiating drug prices. Our current system has put over $225 billion in medical debt onto Americans; I already erased it for 300,000 Michiganders in Wayne County and will do it again in the US Senate.</li></ul></span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-351084-2026-03-17\" id=\"heading1-351084-2026-03-17\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse1-351084-2026-03-17\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-351084-2026-03-17\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading1-351084-2026-03-17\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse1-351084-2026-03-17\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tI didn't set out to be a politician; I trained as a doctor, but saw how broken politics were making people sick. Our healthcare system itself is part of the problem. We need Medicare for All. I chose a career in public health to fix the problems that make people sick in the first place–bad air and water, broken schools, and the lack of healthcare. As both Detroit’s and Wayne County’s Health Director, I led efforts to put glasses on kids, take on big polluters, and eliminate medical debt. But there shouldn’t be medical debt to erase in the richest country in the world. Healthcare must be a human right, not a privilege. Enacting Medicare for All would finally address that.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-351084-2026-03-17\" id=\"heading2-351084-2026-03-17\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse2-351084-2026-03-17\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-351084-2026-03-17\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading2-351084-2026-03-17\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse2-351084-2026-03-17\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tPeace Action, A New Policy PAC, Patriotic Millionaires, Michigan Democratic Party’s LGBT&amp;A Caucus, MDP Progressive Caucus, MDP Grassroots Caucus, No Dem Left Behind, Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Make America Affordable Now PAC, Common Defense. Individuals: Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Ro Khanna, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Former Congressman Andy Levin, Minnesota AG Keith Ellison, Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, Mayor Sheldon Neeley of Flint, 9 state reps; 14 other county-level elected officials in Wayne, Kalamazoo, Washtenaw, Isabella and Kent Counties; and 6 Mayors as well as 24+ local electeds across Wayne, Kent, Genesee, Bay, Washtenaw, Kalamazoo, Isabella, St. Joseph, Allegan, and Van Buren counties.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div></div>\n<div class=\"small\" data-nosnippet=\"\"><p><i><b>Note:</b> Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.</i></p></div>\n<div><div style=\"margin-bottom:1.5rem\"><h4>Campaign website</h4><p>El-Sayed's campaign website stated the following:</p><div style=\"max-height:400px;overflow-y:auto;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:10px;margin:20px\"><blockquote style=\"margin:0px\"><p>Abdul will get money out of politics, put money in your pocket, and pass Medicare for All. He is fighting for an economy and healthcare system that work for everyone, affordable housing for all, and clean air and water. He’s committed to accessible education and sensible foreign policy rooted in diplomacy and justice. Explore Abdul’s priorities for building a fairer future.</p><p><br/></p><h3><strong>A Healthier America</strong></h3><p>Abdul literally wrote the book on Medicare for All. And there is no one more passionate about the cause of guaranteed healthcare for every single American because no one should have to choose between getting the care they need or going into debt in the richest, most powerful country in the world. Abdul believes in expanding Medicare to cover every single American from cradle to grave while sustaining the option for workers to keep supplemental private insurance their unions or employers may provide. This would make Medicare stronger–expanding the pool of young, healthy people paying into the system. As a nation, Americans hold more than $225 billion in medical debt. Abdul thinks it shouldn’t exist–and he erased it for upwards of 300,000 Michiganders in Wayne County.</p><p><br/></p><p>In the meantime, Abdul categorically opposes the privatization of Medicare or the attempt to cut Medicaid–we need to expand guaranteed health insurance, not sell it off to corporations or cut it. And Abdul holds solemn the commitment we have made to our veterans–and believes in expanding and improving the VA, not cutting it.</p><p><br/></p><p>Abdul opposes the hospital mergers and acquisitions that are leaving Americans with fewer healthcare choices and nurses, hospital workers, and doctors with less power at their workplace. We also need to expand public healthcare options by investing more in federally qualified health centers and public clinics and hospitals. </p><p><br/></p><p>Finally, public health is critical to keeping us healthy and safe in our communities. Rather than gut critical institutions like the CDC, FDA, Health Resources, and Services Administration, Abdul believes in reforming them so that they more efficiently and effectively meet the changing needs of our communities. And Abdul believes in vastly increasing support and funding for local and state health departments to meet the needs of their communities.</p><p><br/></p><p><br/></p><h3><strong>More and Better Education, not Less</strong></h3><p>Education is the foundation of our future. We need more and better education, not less. As a proud graduate of public schools and a public university, Abdul understands the critical role of funding education from pre-K and beyond. Abdul believes in universal pre-K, public K-12 education that is comprehensive, empowering, and tailored to kids’ unique needs. Abdul protected children in Detroit from lead in their schools, and he believes that we need a massive investment in school infrastructure–the buildings and community spaces that are so critical to the safety and security of children in the place we leave them, most of the day, most of the year. Rather than gutting the Department of Education, Abdul believes in investing in and empowering a version that focuses on educational opportunities for all people. Abdul believes in working alongside our unions to fund and expand vocational and apprenticeship training opportunities so that every American has a pathway to expand their skills. </p><p><br/></p><p>America’s colleges and universities are among its most critical research institutions. They deserve more funding, not less–focused on high-risk, high-impact science that has the potential to change the world. But sadly, too few have access to them. That’s why Abdul believes that every student deserves a debt-free and tuition-free pathway toward the skills they need to thrive, be that a two-year apprenticeship or a four-year college education.</p><p><br/></p><p><br/></p><h3><strong>An Economy for Working People</strong></h3><p>In the state that built the American Dream, it shouldn’t be this hard to get by. Abdul believes in an economy built by and for working people. Abdul will fight against corporate tax breaks and the capture of our economy by billionaires and would-be oligarchs. He believes that every worker deserves the right to join a union and to earn a fair wage. And he believes that one good job should pay enough to raise a family. Abdul will fight for an economy where anyone can start and grow a business to build wealth for themselves, their family, their workers, and their communities. And Abdul believes that every American deserves guaranteed healthcare regardless of what they do for work. Abdul believes in abolishing medical debt–as he did for upwards of 300,000 Michiganders.</p><p><br/></p><p>Abdul believes that world-changing technology–like AI–should be in the hands of the people rather than unaccountable corporations. Rather than replace us, AI should be a tool to enhance our lives. And he supports legislation that would protect workers and their jobs from automation.</p><p><br/></p><p>Trade deals, like NAFTA, have been a disaster for American manufacturing and have rotted out our towns and destroyed communities. Abdul believes in American ingenuity, grit, and know-how. And he believes that we need to build the future of the global economy in Michigan. That means investing in the research, development, and growth of the technologies of the future while using tools like tariffs in a steady, thoughtful, and targeted way to protect them as they grow. He believes that unions must have a decisive voice at the tables where decisions about the future of our economy are being made.</p><p><br/></p><p>Abdul believes in holding corporations accountable. He believes in a muscular Federal Trade Commission that enforces anti-monopoly laws so the corporations can’t price-gouge us. And he believes in laws that would stop Wall Street speculators from wrecking good companies and killing good jobs, force publicly-traded corporations to be accountable to their workers, and protect workers on the job.</p><p><br/></p><p>Research and development are among America’s most important assets. Rather than gut critical research agencies like the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health and pull back from funding research laboratories in universities across America, Abdul believes that our future requires us to invest more and faster. And he believes that the taxpayers who fund this research should earn back the returns on their investment.</p><p><br/></p><p><br/></p><h3><strong>Sensible Foreign Policy</strong></h3><p>Abdul believes that in an era where our schools are crumbling and healthcare is unaffordable, we should be spending our taxpayer dollars here at home. So Abdul opposes directly funding foreign militaries. </p><p><br/></p><p>After the devastation of World War II, our country led the international community to build international organizations that would protect countries from the disasters of war. We should lead in the world to protect democracy, prosperity, and peace. We protect our security at home and abroad by standing with our democratic allies and engaging in a foreign policy that is centered on diplomacy, cooperation, and protecting human rights. When we act alongside our allies–as in supporting Ukraine against Russian invasion–we find ourselves on the right side of justice. It’s when we break the rules we worked so hard to set up–as in Vietnam or Iraq–that we make critical, deadly mistakes.</p><p><br/></p><p><br/></p><h3><strong>Civil Rights &amp; Liberties</strong></h3><p>Nobody is above our constitution. That’s why Abdul will protect the rights of all Americans, regardless of where they live, where their parents came from, how—or if—they pray, their sexual orientation, gender identity, how old they are, or how much money they make. He believes in the freedom of speech, the freedom of assembly, the freedom of religion, and the freedom of self-expression. </p><p><br/></p><p>Abdul believes every person has the right to make personal decisions about their healthcare, including reproductive care. He will fight to codify the rights once protected by Roe v. Wade into federal law. Abdul believes in equal rights to marriage, healthcare, and comprehensive non-discrimination protections for all Americans.</p><p><br/></p><p>Abdul understands that civil rights are the most important when they protect our rights to do things that others might disagree with. He believes that the right to speak against your government’s actions and to peacefully protest them are sacrosanct. And he stands against the weaponization of the state to stamp down or intimidate peaceful protest. Abdul understands that one of the ways we protest, as individuals, is in where we choose to spend our money—and believes in the right to choose where and how we, as individuals, spend our money.</p><p><br/></p><p><br/></p><h3><strong>Solving the Housing Crisis</strong></h3><p>Homelessness is an American crisis–and it’s a housing issue. Too many Americans are priced out of the most basic necessity of shelter. And working people can’t afford housing in the communities in which they work. </p><p><br/></p><p>Abdul aims to solve it. Abdul believes we need a building boom. And to address it, we need to massively invest in building new housing in communities across the country, and to stand up against regulations that are making it way too hard to build anything in America. </p><p><br/></p><p>Abdul will stand up to the corporate profiteers who are on the wrong side of affordable housing–including corporations, hedge funds, and speculators who are driving up costs. And he will stand up to landlords against unfair evictions that are forcing too many Americans onto the streets.</p><p><br/></p><p><br/></p><h3><strong>Clean Air &amp; Water</strong></h3><p>We have the right to breathe clean air and drink clean water. Abdul has never hesitated to stand up to the corporations that are poisoning them, just as he did in Detroit and across Wayne County. In the US Senate, he will fight to hold polluters accountable for contaminating Michigan’s land and polluting our air and water – and to empower federal agencies to protect communities from it in the first place. </p></blockquote><div style=\"text-align: right; font-size: 0.9em; color: #555; margin-top: 0.5em;\"><p style=\"font-size:0.9em;color:#555\">— Abdul El-Sayed's <a href=\"https://abdulforsenate.com/priorities/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">campaign website</a> (May 7, 2026)</p></div></div></div><div style=\"text-align: center; font-size: 0.9em; margin-top: 0.5em;\"><i>Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.</i></div></div>", "answer_text": "See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection\n\nAbdul El-Sayed completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by El-Sayed's responses.\nExpand all | Collapse all\nWho are you? Tell us about yourself. Abdul El-Sayed is running for the U.S. Senate because life in Michigan shouldn’t be this hard or expensive. After a career of making government work for Michiganders, he wants to make Washington work for you. Abdul rebuilt Detroit’s Health Department post-bankruptcy, then restructured Wayne County’s Department of Health, Human & Veterans Services to serve 1.8 million residents. He secured free glasses for kids, removed lead from schools, took on corporate polluters, and expanded Narcan access. He also spearheaded a program canceling up to $700 million in medical debt for 300,000 Michiganders. His impact earned him recognition from the Michigan LCV and Crain’s Detroit Business. A nationwide healthcare expert, Abdul authored Medicare for All: A Citizen’s Guide. In 2020, he served on President Biden’s Unity Task Force for Healthcare, helping craft policies that are lowering prescription drug prices today. Born and raised in Southeast Michigan's public schools, he captained his football, wrestling, and lacrosse teams. He was raised by his father, Mohamed, an Egyptian immigrant, and his stepmom, Jackie, whose Michigan roots trace to the 1800s. He graduated from the University of Michigan with highest distinction, earned his MD from Columbia, and a doctorate from Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. Abdul lives in Ann Arbor with his wife, Sarah, and daughters Emmalee and Serene. He is a proud, card-carrying union member of the AFT, SEIU, National Writers Union, and AAUP. Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office? Money Out of Politics. I believe the influence of corporate money in our politics is essentially corrupting. I will fight for legislation to take on the power of corporations to influence our political system. As a US Senator, I will sponsor legislation to ban corporate money from our elections, nominate Justices to the Supreme Court who will overturn Citizens United, and support legislation to bring transparency to lobbying and “dark money” political organizations. I am committed to using Michigan’s voice in the US Senate to hold the government accountable to the people, and I am the only candidate in this race who has never and will never accept corporate contributions. Money in Your Pocket. The affordability crisis has made it too hard for working people to get by. Millions of Americans are drowning in medical debt brought on by our broken healthcare system. In the Senate, I will fight against corporate tax breaks and to enforce antitrust laws, so corporations can’t keep buying each other and price-gouging us. We can create a government that invests in the needs of working people and makes it possible to afford a home, put food on the table, and create a future for their kids. I will fight to ensure every worker has the right to join a union through the PRO act, and earn a fair wage with one good job. And we must tax billionaire wealth to invest in education, healthcare, and infrastructure. Medicare for All. There hasn’t been a Democratic doctor in the US Senate since 1969. We need one. I literally wrote the book on Medicare for All because healthcare is a human right, not a privilege. No one should choose between getting the care they need or going into debt in the richest country in the world. I will sponsor legislation to enact M4A and eliminate medical debt nationwide. M4A guarantees comprehensive coverage, eliminates co-pays and deductibles, and lowers overall costs through reducing administrative waste and negotiating drug prices. Our current system has put over $225 billion in medical debt onto Americans; I already erased it for 300,000 Michiganders in Wayne County and will do it again in the US Senate. What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? I didn't set out to be a politician; I trained as a doctor, but saw how broken politics were making people sick. Our healthcare system itself is part of the problem. We need Medicare for All. I chose a career in public health to fix the problems that make people sick in the first place–bad air and water, broken schools, and the lack of healthcare. As both Detroit’s and Wayne County’s Health Director, I led efforts to put glasses on kids, take on big polluters, and eliminate medical debt. But there shouldn’t be medical debt to erase in the richest country in the world. Healthcare must be a human right, not a privilege. Enacting Medicare for All would finally address that. What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign? Peace Action, A New Policy PAC, Patriotic Millionaires, Michigan Democratic Party’s LGBT&A Caucus, MDP Progressive Caucus, MDP Grassroots Caucus, No Dem Left Behind, Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Make America Affordable Now PAC, Common Defense. Individuals: Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Ro Khanna, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Former Congressman Andy Levin, Minnesota AG Keith Ellison, Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, Mayor Sheldon Neeley of Flint, 9 state reps; 14 other county-level elected officials in Wayne, Kalamazoo, Washtenaw, Isabella and Kent Counties; and 6 Mayors as well as 24+ local electeds across Wayne, Kent, Genesee, Bay, Washtenaw, Kalamazoo, Isabella, St. Joseph, Allegan, and Van Buren counties.\nNote: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.\nCampaign website El-Sayed's campaign website stated the following: Abdul will get money out of politics, put money in your pocket, and pass Medicare for All. He is fighting for an economy and healthcare system that work for everyone, affordable housing for all, and clean air and water. He’s committed to accessible education and sensible foreign policy rooted in diplomacy and justice. Explore Abdul’s priorities for building a fairer future. A Healthier America Abdul literally wrote the book on Medicare for All. And there is no one more passionate about the cause of guaranteed healthcare for every single American because no one should have to choose between getting the care they need or going into debt in the richest, most powerful country in the world. Abdul believes in expanding Medicare to cover every single American from cradle to grave while sustaining the option for workers to keep supplemental private insurance their unions or employers may provide. This would make Medicare stronger–expanding the pool of young, healthy people paying into the system. As a nation, Americans hold more than $225 billion in medical debt. Abdul thinks it shouldn’t exist–and he erased it for upwards of 300,000 Michiganders in Wayne County. In the meantime, Abdul categorically opposes the privatization of Medicare or the attempt to cut Medicaid–we need to expand guaranteed health insurance, not sell it off to corporations or cut it. And Abdul holds solemn the commitment we have made to our veterans–and believes in expanding and improving the VA, not cutting it. Abdul opposes the hospital mergers and acquisitions that are leaving Americans with fewer healthcare choices and nurses, hospital workers, and doctors with less power at their workplace. We also need to expand public healthcare options by investing more in federally qualified health centers and public clinics and hospitals. Finally, public health is critical to keeping us healthy and safe in our communities. Rather than gut critical institutions like the CDC, FDA, Health Resources, and Services Administration, Abdul believes in reforming them so that they more efficiently and effectively meet the changing needs of our communities. And Abdul believes in vastly increasing support and funding for local and state health departments to meet the needs of their communities. More and Better Education, not Less Education is the foundation of our future. We need more and better education, not less. As a proud graduate of public schools and a public university, Abdul understands the critical role of funding education from pre-K and beyond. Abdul believes in universal pre-K, public K-12 education that is comprehensive, empowering, and tailored to kids’ unique needs. Abdul protected children in Detroit from lead in their schools, and he believes that we need a massive investment in school infrastructure–the buildings and community spaces that are so critical to the safety and security of children in the place we leave them, most of the day, most of the year. Rather than gutting the Department of Education, Abdul believes in investing in and empowering a version that focuses on educational opportunities for all people. Abdul believes in working alongside our unions to fund and expand vocational and apprenticeship training opportunities so that every American has a pathway to expand their skills. America’s colleges and universities are among its most critical research institutions. They deserve more funding, not less–focused on high-risk, high-impact science that has the potential to change the world. But sadly, too few have access to them. That’s why Abdul believes that every student deserves a debt-free and tuition-free pathway toward the skills they need to thrive, be that a two-year apprenticeship or a four-year college education. An Economy for Working People In the state that built the American Dream, it shouldn’t be this hard to get by. Abdul believes in an economy built by and for working people. Abdul will fight against corporate tax breaks and the capture of our economy by billionaires and would-be oligarchs. He believes that every worker deserves the right to join a union and to earn a fair wage. And he believes that one good job should pay enough to raise a family. Abdul will fight for an economy where anyone can start and grow a business to build wealth for themselves, their family, their workers, and their communities. And Abdul believes that every American deserves guaranteed healthcare regardless of what they do for work. Abdul believes in abolishing medical debt–as he did for upwards of 300,000 Michiganders. Abdul believes that world-changing technology–like AI–should be in the hands of the people rather than unaccountable corporations. Rather than replace us, AI should be a tool to enhance our lives. And he supports legislation that would protect workers and their jobs from automation. Trade deals, like NAFTA, have been a disaster for American manufacturing and have rotted out our towns and destroyed communities. Abdul believes in American ingenuity, grit, and know-how. And he believes that we need to build the future of the global economy in Michigan. That means investing in the research, development, and growth of the technologies of the future while using tools like tariffs in a steady, thoughtful, and targeted way to protect them as they grow. He believes that unions must have a decisive voice at the tables where decisions about the future of our economy are being made. Abdul believes in holding corporations accountable. He believes in a muscular Federal Trade Commission that enforces anti-monopoly laws so the corporations can’t price-gouge us. And he believes in laws that would stop Wall Street speculators from wrecking good companies and killing good jobs, force publicly-traded corporations to be accountable to their workers, and protect workers on the job. Research and development are among America’s most important assets. Rather than gut critical research agencies like the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health and pull back from funding research laboratories in universities across America, Abdul believes that our future requires us to invest more and faster. And he believes that the taxpayers who fund this research should earn back the returns on their investment. Sensible Foreign Policy Abdul believes that in an era where our schools are crumbling and healthcare is unaffordable, we should be spending our taxpayer dollars here at home. So Abdul opposes directly funding foreign militaries. After the devastation of World War II, our country led the international community to build international organizations that would protect countries from the disasters of war. We should lead in the world to protect democracy, prosperity, and peace. We protect our security at home and abroad by standing with our democratic allies and engaging in a foreign policy that is centered on diplomacy, cooperation, and protecting human rights. When we act alongside our allies–as in supporting Ukraine against Russian invasion–we find ourselves on the right side of justice. It’s when we break the rules we worked so hard to set up–as in Vietnam or Iraq–that we make critical, deadly mistakes. Civil Rights & Liberties Nobody is above our constitution. That’s why Abdul will protect the rights of all Americans, regardless of where they live, where their parents came from, how—or if—they pray, their sexual orientation, gender identity, how old they are, or how much money they make. He believes in the freedom of speech, the freedom of assembly, the freedom of religion, and the freedom of self-expression. Abdul believes every person has the right to make personal decisions about their healthcare, including reproductive care. He will fight to codify the rights once protected by Roe v. Wade into federal law. Abdul believes in equal rights to marriage, healthcare, and comprehensive non-discrimination protections for all Americans. Abdul understands that civil rights are the most important when they protect our rights to do things that others might disagree with. He believes that the right to speak against your government’s actions and to peacefully protest them are sacrosanct. And he stands against the weaponization of the state to stamp down or intimidate peaceful protest. Abdul understands that one of the ways we protest, as individuals, is in where we choose to spend our money—and believes in the right to choose where and how we, as individuals, spend our money. Solving the Housing Crisis Homelessness is an American crisis–and it’s a housing issue. Too many Americans are priced out of the most basic necessity of shelter. And working people can’t afford housing in the communities in which they work. Abdul aims to solve it. Abdul believes we need a building boom. And to address it, we need to massively invest in building new housing in communities across the country, and to stand up against regulations that are making it way too hard to build anything in America. Abdul will stand up to the corporate profiteers who are on the wrong side of affordable housing–including corporations, hedge funds, and speculators who are driving up costs. And he will stand up to landlords against unfair evictions that are forcing too many Americans onto the streets. Clean Air & Water We have the right to breathe clean air and drink clean water. Abdul has never hesitated to stand up to the corporations that are poisoning them, just as he did in Detroit and across Wayne County. In the US Senate, he will fight to hold polluters accountable for contaminating Michigan’s land and polluting our air and water – and to empower federal agencies to protect communities from it in the first place. — Abdul El-Sayed's campaign website (May 7, 2026) Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source."}, {"question": "Campaign ads", "answer_html": "<div class=\"bp-yt-gallery-wrapper\" style=\"--bp-yt-card-width: 250px;\">\n<div aria-label=\"Scroll left\" class=\"bp-yt-fade bp-yt-fade-left\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\"></div>\n<div aria-label=\"Scroll right\" class=\"bp-yt-fade bp-yt-fade-right\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\"></div>\n<div class=\"bp-yt-gallery\"><div class=\"bp-yt-wrapper bp-yt-float-right\" style=\"width: 250px;\">\n<div class=\"thumb embedvideo autoResize\" style=\"width: 258px;\"><!--\n--><div class=\"embedvideo autoResize\" style=\"\"><!--\n--><div class=\"embedvideowrap youtube\" style=\"width: 250px\"><iframe allow=\"accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"141\" loading=\"lazy\" modestbranding=\"1\" src=\"//www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/VBzf2uexP_Y\" width=\"250\"></iframe></div><!--\n--></div><!--\n--></div>\n<div class=\"bp-yt-subtitle\">\"New Ad at Gas Pumps Around the State\" – El-Sayed campaign ad, released April 1, 2026</div>\n</div>\n<div class=\"bp-yt-wrapper bp-yt-float-right\" style=\"width: 250px;\">\n<div class=\"thumb embedvideo autoResize\" style=\"width: 258px;\"><!--\n--><div class=\"embedvideo autoResize\" style=\"\"><!--\n--><div class=\"embedvideowrap youtube\" style=\"width: 250px\"><iframe allow=\"accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"141\" loading=\"lazy\" modestbranding=\"1\" src=\"//www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/W_NHvqpMa5s\" width=\"250\"></iframe></div><!--\n--></div><!--\n--></div>\n<div class=\"bp-yt-subtitle\">\"Let's build a Michigan for small businesses, no big corporations. Here's how we do it.\" – El-Sayed campaign ad, released March 16, 2026</div>\n</div>\n<div class=\"bp-yt-wrapper bp-yt-float-right\" style=\"width: 250px;\">\n<div class=\"thumb embedvideo autoResize\" style=\"width: 258px;\"><!--\n--><div class=\"embedvideo autoResize\" style=\"\"><!--\n--><div class=\"embedvideowrap youtube\" style=\"width: 250px\"><iframe allow=\"accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"141\" loading=\"lazy\" modestbranding=\"1\" src=\"//www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/3LM5l1b4CFE\" width=\"250\"></iframe></div><!--\n--></div><!--\n--></div>\n<div class=\"bp-yt-subtitle\">\"Football\" – El-Sayed campaign ad, released December 19, 2025</div>\n</div>\n<div class=\"bp-yt-wrapper bp-yt-float-right\" style=\"width: 250px;\">\n<div class=\"thumb embedvideo autoResize\" style=\"width: 258px;\"><!--\n--><div class=\"embedvideo autoResize\" style=\"\"><!--\n--><div class=\"embedvideowrap youtube\" style=\"width: 250px\"><iframe allow=\"accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"141\" loading=\"lazy\" modestbranding=\"1\" src=\"//www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/gYJkBy_PMeM\" width=\"250\"></iframe></div><!--\n--></div><!--\n--></div>\n<div class=\"bp-yt-subtitle\">\"Harry and Louise\" – El-Sayed campaign ad, released November 5, 2025</div>\n</div>\n<div class=\"bp-yt-wrapper bp-yt-float-right\" style=\"width: 250px;\">\n<div class=\"thumb embedvideo autoResize\" style=\"width: 258px;\"><!--\n--><div class=\"embedvideo autoResize\" style=\"\"><!--\n--><div class=\"embedvideowrap youtube\" style=\"width: 250px\"><iframe allow=\"accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"141\" loading=\"lazy\" modestbranding=\"1\" src=\"//www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/wTv3qKpqyE0\" width=\"250\"></iframe></div><!--\n--></div><!--\n--></div>\n<div class=\"bp-yt-subtitle\">\"Our All American Movement\" – El-Sayed campaign ad, released April 17, 2025</div>\n</div></div></div>\n<p>View more ads here:\n</p>\n<ul><li><a class=\"external text\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/@abdulelsayed/videos\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">YouTube</a></li></ul>\n<p>The following issue statements were found on El-Sayed's official campaign website. For a full list of issue statements, click <a class=\"external text\" href=\"https://abdulformichigan.com/issues\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.\n</p>\n<div style=\"height:400px;overflow:scroll;border:1px solid gray;margin:20px;padding:10px;\">\n<table data-nosnippet=\"\" style=\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none;background-color: transparent; auto; ;\">\n<tbody><tr>\n<td style=\"border:none; color:#B2B7F2;font-size:35px;font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold; text-align: left; padding: 10px 3px;\" valign=\"top\" width=\"20\">“\n</td>\n<td style=\"border: none; padding: 4px 10px;\" valign=\"top\">\n<p><b>Jobs and Prosperity</b><br/>\n<b>The fruits of the economy have been enjoyed by too few for too long.</b> Across the state, thousands struggle to find jobs or have stopped searching altogether. Michiganders, like millions across the nation, have been left behind as multinational corporations with no allegiance to Michigan replace human labor with robots and leave to exploit cheaper labor overseas. Rising income inequality is hurting our families, keeping parents from providing for their children.\n</p><p><b>Workers’ rights matter.</b> No one should work a full week and not be able to feed their family. As governor, I will fight to make work pay by raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour, ensuring access to paid sick days, and making high quality childcare affordable and accessible to equalize the economic playing field. Unions have long led the fight for workers in Michigan and beyond. That is why I support labor’s right to organize, and I oppose ‘Right to Work’ legislation. Finally, free trade agreements have harmed Michigan workers. They should be negotiated to benefit the real people who drive America’s economy rather than the elites who grow their profits at our expense.\n</p><p><b>I believe in small business.</b> Every dollar spent at a locally-owned and operated business creates prosperity here in Michigan. We must grow entrepreneurial opportunities across Michigan and even the playing field so that small businesses can flourish. As a millennial, I have a unique appreciation of the value that young entrepreneurs bring to a flourishing economy. I will fight to ensure that our greatest asset - Michigan’s minds - have a place in Michigan to build our future.\n</p><p><b>Clean Government</b><br/>\nMichiganders deserve a government they can trust, where the will of the people takes priority over the interests of corporations and lobbyists. But today, approval ratings for state government are at an all-time low. We need accountability and transparency in Lansing.\n</p><p>Michigan is among the most gerrymandered states in America. <b>I oppose gerrymandering by either party and support bipartisan redistricting,</b> giving every Michigander an equal vote.\n</p><p>The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) forces government to release documents related to their day-to-day work. However, neither the governor nor the Senate are exposed to FOIA, allowing them to operate in the dark. <b>I would push to subject the governor and Senate to FOIA,</b> and would commit to full transparency according to FOIA guidelines beginning on my first day in office.\n</p><p><b>Special interests have our politicians in their pockets.</b> Michigan’s campaign finance laws allow special interest groups to contribute more than eight times as much per year to candidates for office in Michigan’s legislature than the federal legislature. We need campaign finance reform that limits the amount that corporations and special interests can contribute to campaigns.\n</p><p>The brutal emergency management laws currently on the books strip Michigan communities of their right to govern themselves and have driven crises like Flint. As governor, <b>I will repeal the emergency manager laws</b> in favor of more a sustainable approach to supporting Michigan’s municipalities that ensure local control.\n</p><p><b>Education</b><br/>\nYoung Michiganders need to graduate with real skills that prepare them for further education and for success in tomorrow's economy. Yet, today, less than half of children in Michigan are proficient in math and science and fewer are prepared for college.\n</p><p><b>We must reinvest in our public education system.</b> As Governor, I will fight to guarantee every Michigan child access to the best public education imaginable, from pre-K to postgrad. This includes renewed investment in school infrastructure, so that children are learning in safe, healthy environments. This includes <b>establishing high quality, universal pre-K.</b> And this includes getting the profit motive out of public education – putting our children’s futures back in the hands of families, educators, and communities, rather than private interests.\n</p><p>Higher education is one of Michigan’s most important engines of mobility. But right now, it is too expensive for too many. <b>I will fight to build a higher education system that supports both college and vocational education.</b> That starts with improving support for Michigan’s 28 community colleges and 15 public colleges and universities. It means reducing college debt through innovative funding programs. And it means building future-oriented accredited training opportunities that combine the best of the traditional college model with the best of the apprenticeship model. Our higher education system must prepare our youth to thrive – no matter what path they choose.<sup class=\"reference\" id=\"cite_ref-quotedisclaimer_48-0\"><a href=\"#cite_note-quotedisclaimer-48\">[48]</a></sup>\n</p>\n</td>\n<td style=\"border: none; color: #B2B7F2; font-size: 35px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold; text-align: right; padding: 10px 1px;\" valign=\"bottom\" width=\"20\">”\n</td></tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"cquotecite\" colspan=\"3\" style=\"border: none; padding-right: 4%\"><cite style=\"font-style: normal;font-size: smaller; float: right;\">—Abdul El-Sayed<sup class=\"reference\" id=\"cite_ref-49\"><a href=\"#cite_note-49\">[49]</a></sup></cite>\n</td></tr></tbody></table>\n</div>", "answer_text": "\"New Ad at Gas Pumps Around the State\" – El-Sayed campaign ad, released April 1, 2026 \"Let's build a Michigan for small businesses, no big corporations. Here's how we do it.\" – El-Sayed campaign ad, released March 16, 2026 \"Football\" – El-Sayed campaign ad, released December 19, 2025 \"Harry and Louise\" – El-Sayed campaign ad, released November 5, 2025 \"Our All American Movement\" – El-Sayed campaign ad, released April 17, 2025\nView more ads here:\nYouTube\nThe following issue statements were found on El-Sayed's official campaign website. For a full list of issue statements, click here .\n“ Jobs and Prosperity The fruits of the economy have been enjoyed by too few for too long. Across the state, thousands struggle to find jobs or have stopped searching altogether. Michiganders, like millions across the nation, have been left behind as multinational corporations with no allegiance to Michigan replace human labor with robots and leave to exploit cheaper labor overseas. Rising income inequality is hurting our families, keeping parents from providing for their children. Workers’ rights matter. No one should work a full week and not be able to feed their family. As governor, I will fight to make work pay by raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour, ensuring access to paid sick days, and making high quality childcare affordable and accessible to equalize the economic playing field. Unions have long led the fight for workers in Michigan and beyond. That is why I support labor’s right to organize, and I oppose ‘Right to Work’ legislation. Finally, free trade agreements have harmed Michigan workers. They should be negotiated to benefit the real people who drive America’s economy rather than the elites who grow their profits at our expense. I believe in small business. Every dollar spent at a locally-owned and operated business creates prosperity here in Michigan. We must grow entrepreneurial opportunities across Michigan and even the playing field so that small businesses can flourish. As a millennial, I have a unique appreciation of the value that young entrepreneurs bring to a flourishing economy. I will fight to ensure that our greatest asset - Michigan’s minds - have a place in Michigan to build our future. Clean Government Michiganders deserve a government they can trust, where the will of the people takes priority over the interests of corporations and lobbyists. But today, approval ratings for state government are at an all-time low. We need accountability and transparency in Lansing. Michigan is among the most gerrymandered states in America. I oppose gerrymandering by either party and support bipartisan redistricting, giving every Michigander an equal vote. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) forces government to release documents related to their day-to-day work. However, neither the governor nor the Senate are exposed to FOIA, allowing them to operate in the dark. I would push to subject the governor and Senate to FOIA, and would commit to full transparency according to FOIA guidelines beginning on my first day in office. Special interests have our politicians in their pockets. Michigan’s campaign finance laws allow special interest groups to contribute more than eight times as much per year to candidates for office in Michigan’s legislature than the federal legislature. We need campaign finance reform that limits the amount that corporations and special interests can contribute to campaigns. The brutal emergency management laws currently on the books strip Michigan communities of their right to govern themselves and have driven crises like Flint. As governor, I will repeal the emergency manager laws in favor of more a sustainable approach to supporting Michigan’s municipalities that ensure local control. Education Young Michiganders need to graduate with real skills that prepare them for further education and for success in tomorrow's economy. Yet, today, less than half of children in Michigan are proficient in math and science and fewer are prepared for college. We must reinvest in our public education system. As Governor, I will fight to guarantee every Michigan child access to the best public education imaginable, from pre-K to postgrad. This includes renewed investment in school infrastructure, so that children are learning in safe, healthy environments. This includes establishing high quality, universal pre-K. And this includes getting the profit motive out of public education – putting our children’s futures back in the hands of families, educators, and communities, rather than private interests. Higher education is one of Michigan’s most important engines of mobility. But right now, it is too expensive for too many. I will fight to build a higher education system that supports both college and vocational education. That starts with improving support for Michigan’s 28 community colleges and 15 public colleges and universities. It means reducing college debt through innovative funding programs. And it means building future-oriented accredited training opportunities that combine the best of the traditional college model with the best of the apprenticeship model. Our higher education system must prepare our youth to thrive – no matter what path they choose. [48] ” —Abdul El-Sayed [49]"}]