Newsom becomes el Sayed’s wingman in Michigan
Gavin Newsom, the governor of California and a prospective 2028 presidential candidate, visited Michigan to campaign on behalf of Democratic candidates, including gubernatorial nominee Jocelyn Benson and Senate hopeful Abdul el Sayed. Newsom defended el Sayed against claims of extremism, highlighting his campaign efforts and emphasizing the importance of supporting him in the upcoming election. Despite controversies surrounding el Sayed, including his association with a Twitch streamer with alleged antisemitic comments and his progressive policy positions such as advocating for Medicare for All, taxing the wealthy, and proposing to abolish ICE, Newsom seeks to rally support and dismiss Republican attacks labeling him as radical. El Sayed, backed by socialists, holds progressive stances on issues like tax reform, police abolition, and foreign policy, condemning the war in Iran and criticizing U.S. aid to Israel and its actions in Gaza. The Michigan senate race remains competitive, with el Sayed aiming to unseat Republican Mike Rogers in a challenging political landscape.
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) denounced concerns that Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul el Sayed holds extremist views, as he campaigned Sunday on behalf of Democrats in the Wolverine State.
Newsom, whose profile is rising as a likely 2028 presidential contender, traveled to the battleground state Saturday as he tours the country as a top surrogate for his party in the 2026 election. The governor campaigned with Michigan Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jocelyn Benson, along with Sarah Pounds and Alex Hawkings, who are hoping to flip swing seats in the state House.
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He is expected to meet with el Sayed on Monday, before heading back to California on Tuesday. He will also sit down with black business and faith leaders at a roundtable, according to Politico. El Sayed has struggled to see his message break through to black voters in Michigan.
Newsom endorsed el Sayed, a staunch progressive backed by socialists who recently defeated an establishment-backed candidate in the primary election. While the GOP has seized on el Sayed’s decision to campaign with Twitch streamer Hasan Piker as an opportunity to paint the opposition as a radical candidate, Newsom sought to deflect criticism that el Sayed is “extremist,” accusing Republicans of trying to “flood the zone with this narrative.”
“What they are doing … they are trying to make it so much bigger,” he told crowds at a United Auto Workers local in Oakland County. “They are trying to dominate. My observation is he seems to be moving at a pretty impressive clip. It’s about unity, and these larger/smaller events, including the ones we’ll have tomorrow, are indicative of someone who gets it.”
“The Senate is in play and … will go through this state, so getting behind him is going to be important,” Newsom said of el Sayed. “It’s going to be a very tough race in November.”
WHAT ABDUL EL SAYED COULD GAIN FROM ALL THE BIG-NAME DEMOCRATS CLAMORING TO CAMPAIGN WITH HIM
El Sayed’s decision to repeatedly campaign with Piker has been controversial due partly to concerns that the Twitch streamer holds openly antisemitic views, including comments in April that he “would vote for Hamas over Israel every single time.”
El Sayed is running against former Rep. Mike Rogers. The Republican lost his last Senate race against Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) by just 20,000 votes in 2024.
El Sayed is backed by socialists and supports abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, instituting Medicare for All, and raising taxes on wealthier individuals, such as raising the top marginal tax rate on earnings over $1 million, taxing capital gains and inheritances over $1 million as ordinary income, implementing a “billionaire tax” on wealth over $1 billion, and putting a progressive tax on wealth held by trusts.
The candidate has supported aspects of the defund the police and prison abolitionist movements in the past, though he has walked such positions back on the campaign trail.
ABDUL EL SAYED VOWS TO TAKE ON SCHUMER AS LEFT-WING CANDIDATES GAIN MOMENTUM
On foreign policy, el Sayed has condemned the war in Iran and declined to endorse the assassination of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei because “there are a lot of people in Dearborn who are sad” about his death.
El Sayed has said Israel is committing genocide in Gaza in its war against Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists and supports freezing all U.S. aid to Israel. That position sets him apart from more centrist or establishment Democrats, such as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
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