US midterm elections: Who is Abdul El-Sayed? The Egyptian-American Rhodes scholar and public health expert taking on Republicans in Michigan’s Senate race
Abdul El-Sayed took an unusual route to American politics. Trained in medicine and public health, he spent years studying why people get sick and how public systems can improve their lives. Now, the 41-year-old Egyptian-American is running for the US Senate in Michigan after defeating establishment-backed Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary. A Rhodes Scholar and former Detroit health chief, he is campaigning for Medicare for All, tighter campaign finance rules and relief from rising living costs.