Senate Democrats meet with El-Sayed, rallying around Michigan nominee

Washington — Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed met with Senate Democrats on Wednesday as they look to rally around his candidacy in the final sprint to November's election.

Leaving the meeting, which took place at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee headquarters near the Capitol, Senate Democrats expressed enthusiasm around El-Sayed and his message.

"He's a great candidate. He's going to win, and we are all united," said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, who chairs the DSCC.

El-Sayed won the Michigan Democratic primary last month against a more moderate candidate who was recruited by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. But since then, Democrats have sought to bridge ideological divides on display this cycle, as they fight to hold onto the seat following Sen. Gary Peters' decision not to seek reelection.

Peters told reporters that the meeting was "a great opportunity" for senators to meet El-Sayed "and understand he's really a great, strong candidate."

"He certainly showed that to everybody, and we're all excited about his campaign," Peters said. "And I know they're all looking forward to serving with him when he wins this fall."

Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, a potential presidential candidate in 2028, said he plans to go to Michigan to campaign with El-Sayed.

El-Sayed spoke to reporters after the meeting and said his message to skeptical Democrats was focused on how the Michigan race could be key to winning a majority in the upper chamber, which would enable Democrats to "hold Donald Trump accountable" and to "start legislating."

"We are united in so much more than people like to point to that seems to divide Democrats," El-Sayed said, citing issues like healthcare access, reproductive rights and labor issues. "These are the things that actually bring us together and we have an opportunity to actually get to work to address them."

Asked whether he needs Schumer's PAC to invest in the race, he said, "We're having really productive conversations about what it takes to win." El-Sayed was expected to meet with Schumer later Wednesday, and said he was looking forward to a "productive meeting."

The former Michigan health official backs progressive policies like Medicare for All and getting money out of politics. In the primary, he had the support of prominent progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.