Michigan Senate Race: El-Sayed Gains Detroit Endorsements from Horace Sheffield, Tlaib

November 10, 2025

U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed held a town hall event with Representative Rashida Tlaib to promote his healthcare reform platform, receiving endorsements from both Tlaib and Reverend Horace Sheffield. El-Sayed is running in Michigan's Democratic primary against Mallory McMorrow and Haley Stevens, positioning himself as a progressive candidate advocating for a single-payer healthcare system he calls "Medicare for All. " The campaign focuses on addressing medical debt as a crisis, with supporters sharing stories of bankruptcy from medical bills and criticizing the Affordable Care Act as insufficient.

Who is affected

Michigan voters in the Democratic primary
U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed
U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (endorser)
Rev. Horace Sheffield (endorser)
State Sen. Mallory McMorrow and U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens (primary opponents)
Retiring U.S. Sen. Gary Peters
Community members with medical debt
Town hall attendees, including individuals who shared experiences with medical bankruptcy
Arthur Harrington (state house candidate)
State Rep. Carrie Rheingans
Democratic Party insiders nationally
Michigan residents who would be covered under proposed healthcare reforms

What action is being taken

El-Sayed is conducting a statewide tour to promote single-payer healthcare
Tlaib and El-Sayed are holding town hall events and answering questions from supporters and skeptics
El-Sayed's campaign is building a grassroots, people-oriented campaign in Detroit
El-Sayed's campaign has partnered with Undue Medical Debt to erase medical debt
State Rep. Carrie Rheingans is sponsoring a legislative package (MiCare) for universal, publicly funded healthcare in Michigan

Why it matters

This Democratic primary race is being closely watched nationally as a potential template for energizing Democratic voters. The campaign highlights the ongoing debate about healthcare reform in America, with El-Sayed positioning government-funded universal coverage against the current Affordable Care Act system. Medical debt represents a significant financial burden for many Americans, with supporters citing bankruptcies and reliance on crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe. The outcome could influence the direction of healthcare policy discussions both in Michigan and nationally, particularly as tax credits for the ACA remain uncertain.

What's next

The Democratic primary election will determine which candidate faces the general election
El-Sayed encourages supporters to continue grassroots organizing and "take it to the streets" to have conversations about healthcare
Advocates are urged to support State Rep. Carrie Rheingans' MiCare legislative package for Michigan

Read full article from source: Michigan Chronicle