Exclusively for DEC Members and Accompanied Guests
Candidates El-Sayed and Rogers will each have solo time on stage to answer a series of questions and state their case for a U.S. Senate seat representing Michigan.
Abdul El-Sayed
2026 Senatorial Candidate (D)
BIO
Abdul El-Sayed
He studied to be a doctor — but realized it was our broken politics that was making people sick. Abdul has dedicated his entire career to building government agencies that actually work for Michiganders. He is running for the U.S. Senate because he believes life in America shouldn’t be this hard, and as your Senator, Abdul will fight to build a government that works for you, not Elon Musk, Donald Trump, or their billionaire friends.
Abdul is running for U.S. Senate because life in Michigan shouldn’t be this hard — or this expensive. After a successful career of making government work for Michiganders, he wants to take his vision to Washington and make the United States Senate work for you.
Abdul rebuilt a government agency to make it actually work — and then he did it again. He rebuilt Detroit’s Health Department after bankruptcy. Then he restructured Wayne County’s Department of Health, Human & Veterans Services, serving 1.8 million Michiganders in the state’s largest and most diverse county. As a public servant, Abdul secured free glasses for kids who needed them, removed lead from Detroit’s elementary schools, took on Michigan’s biggest polluters, and made life-saving Narcan universally accessible. He also spearheaded a program that will cancel up to $700 million in medical debt for 300,000 Michiganders over 2 years. His work earned him recognition as “Public Official of the Year” by the Michigan LCV and a spot on Crain’s Detroit Business 40 Under 40 list.
Recognized nationwide as an expert on improving the American healthcare system, Abdul authored Medicare for All: A Citizen’s Guide, which explains how to build a healthcare system that guarantees high-quality, affordable healthcare for every American. In 2020, he was selected to serve on President Biden’s Unity Task Force for Healthcare, helping craft policies that are lowering prescription drug prices today.
He was born and raised in Southeast Michigan and proudly attended public schools where he captained his high school football, wrestling, and lacrosse teams. Abdul was raised by his father, Mohamed, an Egyptian immigrant, and his stepmom, Jackie, whose family has lived in Gratiot County, Michigan, since the 1800s. He graduated from the University of Michigan with the highest distinction and played on the Wolverines men’s lacrosse team. Abdul earned his medical degree from Columbia University on an NIH-funded fellowship and a second doctorate at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar.
Mike was born and raised in Livingston County, Michigan. His parents were leaders in the community, his dad was a teacher, a coach, and a vice principal, and his mother led the local chamber of commerce, fighting for small businesses.
After graduating from Howell High School and Adrian College, Mike began his service to the American people as a lieutenant in the United States Army. Following his time in the Army, Mike continued serving his country as a Special Agent in the FBI, taking down organized crime and public corruption in Chicago.
Seeing this corrupt activity firsthand, Mike knew that people of character were required to step up and serve. Mike’s idea of public service has always been to serve others, not yourself. In 1994, Mike decided it was time to run for the Michigan Senate and to serve his community as their voice in the legislature.
As a State Senator, Mike worked to help families stay safe and succeed. He wrote the legislation that created Michigan’s 529 College Savings Program, helping families save for their children’s education. Mike also fought to reduce burdensome regulations that were harming our small businesses and worked with law enforcement to get them the new tools they needed to take down child predators.
In 2000, Mike ran to represent Michigan in Congress, defeating his Democrat opponent in the closest race in the country that year. In Congress, Mike worked to eliminate federal taxes on education savings plans and passed legislation to help low-income families receive healthcare. Mike also authored the Respect for Fallen Heroes Act, which made protesting on federal land while families were burying service members who made the ultimate sacrifice a federal crime.
On the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Mike worked to secure our nations’ energy independence and unleash American made energy by reducing the regulations and tax burdens on American families and small businesses. Mike made his greatest mark in Congress through his service as Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. He was among the first to sound the alarm on the economic and national security danger posed by China. Mike also fought Chinese efforts to steal American intellectual property, particularly working to protect Michigan’s auto industry.
In 2015, Mike entered the private sector, creating a business where he became a champion for American innovation, passionately helping the small businesses that are the backbone of our economy. Mike is also passionate about the field of cyber security, working with companies large and small to protect their data from criminals and bad-acting countries like China.
