Council of Baptist Pastors of Detroit and Vicinity Fully Support Dr. Abdul El-Sayed for Michigan’s Open U.S. Senate Seat

MICHIGAN – Yesterday, the Council of Baptist Pastors of Detroit and Vicinity announced its vote to support Dr. Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s competitive U.S. Senate race. Founded in 1965, the Council has served for six decades as a moral and civic voice for Detroit and Southeast Michigan, and its member congregations represent thousands of families whose daily lives are shaped by federal decisions on healthcare, economic opportunity, voting rights, public safety, education, and environmental justice.

“Dr. Abdul El-Sayed keeps health, affordability, and human dignity at the center of public life,” said council president, Orville K. Littlejohn. “The Council supports him because Michigan families need leaders who understand that policy is not just paperwork; it is people’s lives.”

“It’s time for a change in politics when the President made $2 billion last year,” said Rev. Dr John Duckworth, 1st Vice President of the council.“We need a Senator who hasn’t been bought and will fight for the common person. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed is a breath of fresh air and who Michigan needs to fight for Michigan in Congress.”

Throughout his campaign, Abdul has made a point of engaging directly with faith communities, regularly attending Sunday church services and joining in conversations with congregants and clergy across the state. The support from this network of faith leaders reflects a diverse and expanding movement behind his candidacy, spanning regions, denominations, and communities. He has earned the support of over a dozen pastors from congregations across Michigan and local and national elected officials and leaders from a wide array of faith backgrounds. These endorsements highlight how his campaign has focused on connecting with people across Michigan—from Detroit to Grand Rapids, Flint to the Upper Peninsula—by listening to their concerns, meeting them where they are, and building relationships rooted in trust.

“I’m deeply honored and humbled to have earned the support of the Council of Baptist Pastors of Detroit and Vicinity,” said Abdul. “For sixty years, the Council has been a moral anchor for our communities and a tireless advocate for justice rooted in faith. Pastors attend to their communities in the best and worst of times, and their support is about trusting me to show up in those moments with them. Together, we’re building a Michigan that brings people together across faiths, regions, and backgrounds in the work of offering dignity, opportunity, and respect for every Michigander.”

###