Abdul El-Sayed launches Bernie-backed bid for Congress

Former Wayne County health director Abdul El-Sayed is advocating for universal healthcare and federal campaign finance reform in his campaign for U.S. Senate.

Photo courtesy of Abdul El-Sayed.

Abdul El-Sayed is running for U.S. Senate to replace Michigan Sen. Gary Peters’ seat in Congress.

The former Wayne County health director and 2018 gubernatorial candidate says his campaign for U.S. Senate will be spent listening to people about what keeps them up at night.

“I didn’t grow up wanting to be a politician. My goal is to use government to deliver,” El-Sayed told me in an interview Wednesday.

His campaign website and Act Blue donation page went live early Thursday morning. He resigned as director of the county health department earlier this month to prepare for the campaign.

Peters, who assumed office in 2015, surprised everyone earlier this year when he announced he wouldn’t seek reelection in 2026.

In a video announcing his campaign Thursday, El-Sayed declared himself a “bro with a podcast.” He addresses dark money in politics and “trade deals that rot our towns and rob our children of their dreams,” while making light of his “built for American politics” name.

El-Sayed’s political ascension happened during his nationally publicized 2018 gubernatorial primary campaign, in which he finished second behind Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Shri Thanedar. He lost to Whitmer by nearly 250,000 votes, and topped Thanedar by more than 140,000 votes.

With an endorsement from U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-VT, El-Sayed is poised to receive national attention again.