Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed Is “Not a Burn-It-Down Kind” of Candidate

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<p>Michigan’s Senate seat is a must-win for Democrats hoping to take control of the Senate in 2026. The midterms are reflecting a surge of energy behind left-leaning Democratic candidates—sometimes known as the Mamdani effect—challenging their party’s establishment and its tarnished image. Abdul El-Sayed, a former health official, firmly supports Medicare for All and the abolition of ICE. He’s ahead of his moderate Democratic rival, Haley Stevens, in most polls. But that has some Democrats worried that El-Sayed is too radical to win the general election in a state that narrowly voted for Trump in 2024. El-Sayed talks with David Remnick about being “radicalized in medical school,” the trap of expressing righteous anger as an Arab candidate, how Robert F. Kennedy’s anti-science views have taken such a hold on the public, and why AIPAC and other lobbying groups have spent sixty million dollars opposing him in this election.  </p> <p>Further reading and listening: </p> <ul> <li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/election-2026/michigan-is-the-next-big-test-for-the-democratic-party#rid=44627b07-4cae-4904-8650-ae44ba431ec3&q=gretchen+whitmer" rel="noopener noreferrer">Michigan Is the Next Big Test for the Democratic Party,” by Jason Zengerle</a></li> <li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/03/09/can-the-democrats-get-it-together#rid=44627b07-4cae-4904-8650-ae44ba431ec3&q=gretchen+whitmer" rel="noopener noreferrer">Can the Democrats Get It Together?,” by </a><a href="https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/amy-davidson-sorkin" rel="noopener noreferrer">Amy Davidson Sorkin</a></li> <li>“<a href="https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/tnyradiohour/segments/governor-gretchen-whitmer-covid-19-trump-and-accusations-against-joe-biden" rel="noopener noreferrer">Governor Gretchen Whitmer on COVID-19, Trump, and the Accusations Against Joe Biden</a>,” an episode of The New Yorker Radio Hour</li> </ul> <p> </p> <p>New episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour drop every Tuesday and Friday. Join host David Remnick as he discusses the latest in politics, news, and current events in conversation with political leaders, newsmakers, innovators, <i>New Yorker</i> staff writers, authors, actors, and musicians.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>