Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed received the endorsement of former Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday.
Harris appeared alongside El-Sayed during a roundtable discussion at Birth Detroit — a maternal and infant health clinic.
“I'm here to support Dr. El Sayed because, on this subject, I know he will be a champion,” Harris said.
El-Sayed is a former health department director for both the City of Detroit and Wayne County.
“I have no doubt that he will carry with him into that office the partnership…with the people in this room,” Harris said.
The endorsement could help repair a rift within the Democratic Party over Israel’s military action in Gaza.
Two years ago during Harris’ run for the presidency, she was criticized for her stance on Israel’s attacks on Palestinians and struggled to win the support of many Michigan Arab and Muslim voters.
El-Sayed was among those who criticized her. But he also backed her shortly after she became the Democratic presidential nominee.
”I understood that she would be the better option, and that's why I endorsed her. It's why I campaigned for her, and it's also why, you know, [I] worked with the campaign to try to move on that issue,” El-Sayed said.
The endorsement by Harris also might help solve a problem for El-Sayed. Black voters in Detroit largely voted for his opponent, Congresswoman Haley Stevens, in the primary election.
El-Sayed said he’s heard from some voters about regretting their choice to either sit out or vote for President Donald Trump two years ago.
“I think if a lot of us could have had that back, had 2024 back, we would have thought about things in different ways, and I hope that moving forward we don't reinforce the mistakes of the past that break us apart and start thinking about where do we go in the future.”
Still, El-Sayed said he realizes there’s some lingering resentment toward both Harris and the Democratic Party.
“So, if you are somebody who is angry about our party's position on Gaza, then I think it's important for us to build a coalition to elect a U.S. senator who agrees with you on that position.”
In a statement, El-Sayed’s opponent, Republican former Congressman Mike Rogers called the endorsement “desperate” and attacked Harris’ record during the Biden administration.
