Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate from Michigan, emphasized the need to tackle what he views as ‘unpaid debts’ owed to Black communities. At a gathering of women faith leaders organized by the Woman Difference Collaborative in Detroit, El-Sayed stressed the importance of recognizing and addressing these issues. A video of the event was shared by C-SPAN.
El-Sayed, challenging Republican nominee Mike Rogers in a highly scrutinized Senate race, asserted, “When it comes to Black communities in Michigan — when it comes to Black communities in America — there are unpaid debts that have long since come due that we are unwilling to acknowledge, let alone pay down.” He continued, “We need leaders who are going to understand those debts and address them.”
In response to a query about rallying Democratic voters who didn’t support him in the primary, El-Sayed stated his strategy involves continuous engagement with voters and highlighting his achievements. He said, “But the question for me is, within my power have I done my best? And I will challenge people to look at my history and say, ‘Yeah, that man hasn’t done everything he could around the problems he says he cares about.’”
El-Sayed also discussed his efforts on infant and maternal mortality, asthma, and lead exposure. Additionally, he advocated for increasing access to capital for small businesses and boosting investment in housing and education. Before his Senate campaign, El-Sayed was the health director of Wayne County and ran unsuccessfully for Michigan governor in 2018.
The Detroit event covered his public health record, stance on U.S. aid to Israel, endorsement of former Vice President Kamala Harris for the 2024 presidential race, campaign attack ads from Rogers, and criminal justice matters, as reported by C-SPAN.
Fox News Digital sought comment from El-Sayed’s campaign but was unable to reach them immediately. Sophia Compton, a writer for Fox News Digital, has a background as a business reporter and TV news producer and holds a journalism degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Contact her with story tips at [email protected].