ICYMI: Abdul El-Sayed and Senator Bernie Sanders Rally in Detroit

MICHIGAN – Yesterday, May 3, U.S. Senate candidate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed joined Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in Detroit as part of the Fighting Oligarchy tour.  Over 1,360 energized community members, elected officials, and supporters filled the auditorium at Samuel C. Mumford High School, with over ten thousand also viewing across streaming platforms.

Joined by State Representative and MI-13 candidate Donavan McKinney and multiple union leaders, yesterday’s event showcased clear momentum behind Abdul from Detroit and the labor movement, and excitement around the pillars of Abdul’s candidacy: money out of politics, money in your pocket, and Medicare for All.

Dan Glass, president of Teamsters Local 332, highlighted the nurses’ strike at Henry Ford Genesys Hospital in Grand Blanc, fielding multiple standing ovations for the striking nurses from the crowd. Abdul joined them on the steps of the state Capitol this March in their fight for safer working conditions, including lower patient-to-nurse ratios. “We have six words that we live by on this strike line, starting 245 days ago. We go by the phrase ‘One day longer, one day stronger,” said Glass.

Jamie Brown, president of National Nurses United, the largest union of nurses in the country, also spoke at the event proudly announcing “Nurses are with you!” She delivered a forceful critique of the nation’s healthcare system, highlighting the gutting of Medicaid and the increasing dominance of corporate interests at the expense of patients and frontline healthcare workers. These priorities reflect the shared ideals championed by Abdul’s campaign, which is exactly why NNU announced their official endorsement of Abdul’s candidacy last week stating, “Nurses are thrilled to endorse Abdul El-Sayed for Michigan Senate. As a fellow Michigander, I [Jamie Brown] have witnessed Abdul rebuild entire agencies, and he knows what it takes to make government work for the people. He is a long-time, staunch advocate for single-payer, and nurses will be with him on day one to fix our broken healthcare system.”

Senator Bernie Sanders, one of Abdul’s earliest endorsers, celebrated the progressive momentum behind his campaign while deriding corporate interests working against Michiganders. “Why are we living in a society where workers are producing more and more and virtually all of that income and wealth is going to the top 1%?” Senator Sanders asked the crowd. “That is precisely why we need people like Abdul in the U.S. Senate. Status quo politics is no longer good enough. There may have been a time when nibbling around the edges, tinkering around the edges, was okay, that is not today. Today, we need boldness. Today, we need courage. Today, we have folks who are going to take on the Musks of the world, to take on the political establishment.” 

Attendees were energized by the Senator’s words, with chants of “Abdul, Abdul!” erupting from the audience when his name was mentioned – a clear signal that Abdul’s platform is resonating with Detroiters and beyond.

A full recording of the rally can be found here. View and download photos here.

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