Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, has recently asserted his identity as a “capitalist” and has resisted the “socialist” label, but some of his past social media activity seems to suggest otherwise. Posts from the Detroit chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have resurfaced, highlighting their support for his stances on climate issues, referring to him as a “comrade” in their efforts.
In one 2019 post, the group welcomed him, saying, “Welcome to the team comrade,” alongside a photo of El-Sayed, who was at that time a recent contender for Michigan governor. After he endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders in his presidential run, the DSA provided further praise, stating, “Thank you to our friend and ally Abdul El-Sayed for endorsing Bernie Sanders. Our movement is unstoppable.”
While the DSA hasn’t officially backed El-Sayed’s Senate campaign or his platform, their local support might suggest a connection between his views and their official positions. In a recent interview, El-Sayed expressed his thoughts on capitalism, stating, “Capitalism is about leveraging the laws of supply and demand to efficiently allocate capital expenditure to maximize value. When capitalism works, it’s because you have free entry and exit into markets.” He added that one cannot support capitalism without also endorsing government regulations that protect markets, arguing that taxing billionaires is fundamental for everyone who believes in capitalism.
El-Sayed has pushed for policies such as Medicare for All and higher taxes on affluent individuals, as well as stiffer penalties for companies he believes exploit natural resources. During his 2018 gubernatorial campaign, he shared similar views and received support from the DSA, particularly for his environmental policies.
At one point, he backed calls to seize General Motors plants when the company announced job cuts, calling this a necessary step towards a Green New Deal. The DSA celebrated his involvement, labeling it the courage and vision needed from leaders to make their goals a reality.
He signed a resolution co-sponsored by over a hundred individuals, including notable figures like Representative Rashida Tlaib, which argued that such plants should be transformed for public good, claiming they truly belong to the workers and taxpayers, not just the corporation.
From 2017 to 2020, he participated in six events organized by DSA, including a prominent fundraising event where he was the keynote speaker. Despite this, El-Sayed has described himself as not being “technically or practically DSA,” although others have termed him a “longtime friend” of the DSA. In social media posts, there are invitations for events where he was announced as a special guest.
Interestingly, the national DSA platform encompasses views that extend well beyond what El-Sayed advocates in his Senate campaign. For instance, they’ve called for the abolition of the Senate and public ownership of major corporations, stances El-Sayed hasn’t embraced.
His campaign has yet to respond to inquiries regarding whether previous DSA support complicates his assertions about capitalism. Having successfully navigated the Democratic primary, El-Sayed is set to face Republican nominee Mike Rogers on November 3.
