Abdul El‑Sayed Fundraising

As folks turn their attention to Michigan and the critical primary election taking place on August 4th, I want to share a bit more about who I am.

One of the aspects of my candidacy that has become a key focus, like it or not, is my faith. Whether or not people want to say it, when they raise questions about my “electability,” they are usually pointing to the most obvious thing about me that makes me “different,” that’s my name and my Muslim faith.

And it’s true. My faith does make me a bit different.

See, faith, to me, isn’t just about an identity. It’s about the choices that I make every single day about how I live my life. I wake up, usually between 5:30 and 6:00. I wash up in preparation for my morning fajr prayer. At 6:00 AM, every single day. That’s the first of five times every day I pray. It’s a spiritual practice that reminds me that I am accountable. I am accountable to my belief, to the people I love, to the people I serve, and to a future I hope to be a part of building.

My faith has also shaped the paths I’ve walked. In college, you’d sooner find me in the stacks in the library at midnight than at a party. I met Sarah, my wife of 20 years, through the Muslim Students’ Association. We got married soon after — we were 21 and 19. Even then, it was so unusual that the school paper wrote a headline article about it!

We’re raising our two little girls, Emmalee and Serene, as strong, capable women. I want them to be just like my grandmother, my mom, and Sarah — a doctor (the kind that sees patients!). Just like the strong women who’ve built me.

My faith has also taught me how to be comfortable with my differences. I know what it’s like to be discriminated against. Before I ever ran for office, I knew what it was like to have my intentions questioned, my choices scrutinized, and my every word picked apart. Because that scrutiny didn’t start when I ran for office. I’ve been under scrutiny since I can remember, in every room where I am “the only.” And I’ve always known that I won’t be held to the same standard as everyone else, but that my bar will be higher because of my faith. And yet the same faith that’s exposed me to scrutiny has offered me the discipline and accountability to withstand it.

Being different has also taught me not to judge others for how they might be different. It teaches you a particular kind of empathy. We all deserve the dignity, security, and goodwill to chart our life’s path without being told we are less than, or not worthy. We deserve that regardless of who we are, how or if we pray, how we love, how we identify, or where we grew up.

That is the politics I am fighting to build. A politics of empathy, where dignity is not reserved for some of us but guaranteed to all of us, in our health care, our paychecks, and our communities.

But that kind of politics does not come from super PACs or corporate interests. It never has. It is built by people. By many giving what they can.

So if you believe in this kind of politics too, I hope you will join us in this movement. Because this election will come down to the many versus the money.

If you are able, invest in this campaign by donating today. With so little time left before the August 4th primary, it is more important than ever that we muster the resources to fight for the politics we share.

Donate $25 ››

With faith in what we can build together,

Abdul

Hi friends, I’m writing this after breaking my fast.

Tonight’s iftar was simple, and I forgot to take a picture. But one night last week, I broke my fast with this waffle from Saj Bakery Canton — and yes, it was as good as it looks:

During Ramadan, from sunrise to sunset, we don’t eat or drink. Not even water.

By mid-afternoon, you definitely feel it. It’s hard, but just because something is hard doesn’t mean it isn’t worth doing.

Fasting isn’t about deprivation. It’s about discipline. Clarity. Remembering who you are and what you stand for.

This campaign has felt a little like that.

We could take the easy route — call a couple of billionaires, open the door to corporate PACs, and make a few quiet deals in exchange for large checks.

However, doing so would cost us our independence. And I won’t run a campaign funded by the same forces that rigged this system.

That’s why from day one, I’ve never taken corporate PAC money, and I never will.

Ramadan teaches patience. It teaches intention. It teaches that restraint today builds strength tomorrow.

That’s what we’re trying to build here — a campaign rooted in values, not shortcuts. But I won’t lie to you, this is the harder route.

Running a campaign like this means I have to constantly be asking everyday folks for $25, $10, or even $5.

I don’t love asking, but it’s the only way to build something that answers to working people instead of corporate donors. If you’re able tonight, will you chip in a few bucks to help us keep building this campaign the right way?

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/em-ms-aes-20260302-1-ak

Thank you,

Abdul

Hi friends, happy Valentine’s Day!

Since love is in the air, I thought it’d be fun to share the story of how Abdul and I met.

Years ago, as an undergrad at the University of Michigan, I was tabling for a student organization on the Diag — the central quad everyone passes through between classes. As I was trying to get students to sign up, Abdul walked up to the table and we had some great banter.

My honest first impression of him was that he was whip smart, funny, and easy on the eyes.

He was somehow both the jock who wore his Michigan lacrosse sweats everywhere, but also “the Orgo nerd” — the organic chemistry lab instructor who tutored everyone and applied himself intently to his studies.

From the start of our relationship, I noticed that Abdul was extremely principled and earnest. What you see is what you get. That part hasn’t changed, but he swapped out the lacrosse gear for black v-necks 🤣.

I see him carry those same principles into this campaign by refusing corporate PAC money and advocating tirelessly for working people.

Running for office isn’t easy on a family. We have two amazing daughters with whom we’re juggling bedtime routines, school projects, sports, and so much more. But we’re cheering Abdul on because we know he’ll fight for real, lasting change in the U.S. Senate.

So, if you’re feeling a little love for that kind of politics today, I hope you’ll consider supporting this campaign. Your contribution gives Abdul the chance to keep showing up exactly as he is.

Donate $25 ››

Thank you so much! Your support means the world to us.

With love and gratitude,

Sarah 💕

Hi friends — important message for you today.

By now, almost everyone has heard of AIPAC. Across multiple campaign arms, they spent more than $100,000,000 in MAGA billionaire money in 2024 to get politicians to turn a blind eye to the genocide in Gaza, or worse yet, support it outright.

But have you heard of their little cousin, DMFI?

In the past three cycles, “Democratic Majority for Israel” spent more than $21,000,000 on elections to boost democrats who support sending our tax dollars to Israel:

DMFI just endorsed our opponent in this primary. In her statement accepting their backing, she calls herself a “proud pro-Israel Democrat.”

This is it. This is the start. The AIPAC folks, the DMFI folks, and the entirety of their super PAC network are coming with a vengeance to defeat Abdul and prop up a candidate who would rather send our money abroad to drop bombs on Gaza than to spend it on our schools here at home. We need to respond urgently.

Here are three reasons we need your help right this moment:

1. Blank check support for Israel will hurt the Democrats’ chances in 2026. If we nominate a candidate in Michigan who wants to underwrite genocide, we could seriously harm our chances of getting elected by alienating the young, multicultural voters who make up the Democratic base. That could cost us Michigan and the Senate majority.
2. Abdul will be attacked relentlessly. They will spend millions against him on misleading ads to smear us. And we need the resources to get the truth out.
3. We are the bellwether. Elsewhere in places like New York City, voters have shown they’ll support anti-genocide, pro-peace candidates no matter how much AIPAC or DMFI spends against them. If we show them their money doesn’t buy them elections in Michigan, we can strike a decisive blow to their stranglehold over the power in Washington, D.C.

Now, if we’ve convinced you even a little bit, we are counting on you. We cannot win this race without significant grassroots contributions from people like you. Please make a $25 donation — or give as much as you can — to elect Abdul and defeat AIPAC, DMFI, and the big money PACs.

The good news is we can beat them. Multiple polls show we’re basically all tied up.

But that’s only going to happen if friends like you choose to back Abdul financially by donating what you can right now. That’s why these fundraising emails are so important to our movement.

Please donate $25 now to elect Abdul, the only unapologetically anti-AIPAC, anti-genocide candidate in this race.

Donate $25 ››

Thank you for hearing us out today. We appreciate your support.

Team Abdul

This is a longer email than usual, but I hope you’ll give me just 30 seconds to make my case to you. I promise, it’s important.

When I see the horrific, authoritarian, regressive stuff that Donald Trump is doing, it makes me sick.

We need to see the Democrats get back to winning again. Don’t you agree?

So how do we get to a point where Democrats can retake the Senate and House, setting us up to retake the White House?

The unfortunate answer is we’re not there yet. Our party leaders are wedded to a 1990s playbook that won’t work. (Keep reading, because we have a way forward.)

There is no issue where this tired old playbook is more clearly on display than when talking about the genocide in Gaza.

Americans of all political persuasions are furious that we are sending our tax dollars overseas to aid Benjamin Netanyahu in bombing and starving the children and families of Gaza.

Yet the establishment of both political parties has supported this. And voters are fed up. Nearly 8-in-10 Democrats and a majority of independents call it a genocide.

Shamefully, Democratic establishment leaders ignore the fact that sentiment has changed rapidly. And as we speak, they are doing their best to squash the next generation of qualified Democratic candidates (myself included) on the basis that they are not pro-Israel enough.

When Democrats are out of step with our base and the broader electorate, we cannot win.

So, people will say, Abdul, what is the solution? How do we get the Democratic Party to speak with one voice on this issue? How do we show moral clarity to the voters in a way that allows us to finally defeat the forces of Trumpism?

Well, my friends, it starts with dealing a few decisive blows in races like mine.

There is a war going on with the AIPAC-establishment wing of the Democratic Party. And that war will be fought in small and medium-sized battles all across the nation.

One of the most critical battles is happening here in Michigan, and whether or not we win comes down to what folks like you decide in response to emails like these.

On September 30, we will close the books on our mandatory FEC deadline. All the money we’ve raised to that point will become public, and so will our opponents’ fundraising numbers.

Those same establishment politicians and all the political pundits will be watching our race very closely because they know it is “Abdul vs. AIPAC.”

If we put up big fundraising numbers, it will be a strong signal to the media and the party leadership that the energy of the party is with us. We’ll deal a major blow to AIPAC and the establishment leaders who defer to them. They’ll be forced to contend with the fact that their hand-picked, AIPAC-funded candidates lack the popular support to win here in Michigan and nationwide.

So when I ask you for money, it’s not just about winning this race — although that is very, very important. It’s about all of us together sending an unmistakable message about where the Democratic Party needs to go.

We have the opportunity to do that on September 30, but only if a sizable portion of the people reading this email now choose to dig deep and donate as much as they can to make this end-of-quarter fundraising deadline into a huge surge.

Here is the link to give before the deadline:

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/em-ms-aes-20250923-1-ak

Thank you for allowing me to spell out my thoughts here. I believe all of us deeply want to see the Democrats get back to winning elections. And it’ll take winning first in each incremental moment leading up to 2026 for us to make that happen.

This deadline is no exception.

Before I go, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the forces of AIPAC will be working extremely hard to oppose us in this fight. They are backing my opponent in this primary. And they know how important this September deadline is to the narrative.

That’s why I’m approaching this deadline with such urgency, and I hope you will too.

One more time, here’s the link to give. Share with family and friends who can support us too:

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/em-ms-aes-20250923-1-ak

In solidarity,

Abdul

Friend,

I’ll be honest up front. I’m about to ask for your help. But before you close out of the email, I just ask that you give me one minute of your time so I can share with you why this is so important and what your help would mean.

You’re still reading? Amazing… I appreciate you. 🙏

The Democratic Party is in a do-or-die moment. We lost a winnable election to a creepy authoritarian billionaire. But our party leaders and establishment consultants learned the exact wrong lessons. They want to entrench us even further as the milquetoast, say-nothing, stand-for-nothing party. A party with no excitement, no moral clarity, and no agenda.

Michigan is the epicenter of the battle for the soul of the Democratic Party. If we screw it up here, we’re doomed elsewhere. We are the key swing state with a wide-open primary to determine who’ll fight the Republicans for a must-win U.S. Senate seat.

The same establishment leaders who botched the last election have their thumb on the scales in this primary. They’ve handpicked a Democrat who votes at times like a Republican, who schmoozes with corporate PACs, and wins over AIPAC folks. They believe the way to win is to be as quiet as possible about key issues. And they’ll sell their loyalty to whoever writes the largest check as long as it affords them enough money for an extra TV ad or two.

They’re dead wrong. And if their milquetoast moderate wins this primary, we could lose not only Michigan’s Senate seat, but any shot we have at reshaping the future of this party to give us a fighting chance at taking power back from Donald Trump.

Now, it’s easy to critique. And folks will say, “Abdul, what do you propose?” I’ll answer that.

• How about a Democratic Party with candidates we are — for once — excited to vote for? Candidates who aren’t afraid to speak their minds and capture attention in an age where social media is such a critical and powerful tool.
• How about a Democratic Party that stands for something concrete? Medicare for All. Tax the billionaires. Stop funding genocide in Gaza.
• How about a Democratic Party that brings in new voters, young voters, and disillusioned voters? Offer a real alternative to the false choice between “status quo moderation” and “right-wing authoritarianism.”

My friends, we can be that Democratic Party. But if we lose to the establishment here in Michigan, we may be set back in that mission for years to come.

So today, I’m asking you for help. Not just to elect me as the next U.S. Senator from Michigan — but to transform the Democratic Party as we know it into an exciting, purpose-driven, and tent-expanding team that can defeat Trumpism and wannabe oligarchs for decades to come.

I don’t want to come off as cocky or overconfident, but depending on the poll, we’re nearly tied for first or second place in this race. Winning isn’t some unachievable hurdle. And if we out-raise our opponents in this critical quarter, we will do two things:

1. We will have enough resources to spread the word about our campaign and build a solid lead heading into the primary.
2. We will attract serious attention from the national politicians and pundits who will see that we represent the best path forward for the Democrats to win in November.

Not everyone can give the same amount — and that’s the beauty of a people-powered campaign. Some will step up with larger gifts, others with smaller ones. Together, we build something stronger than corporate PACs ever could.

• If you have done well and can afford it, please consider giving a bit more for those who can’t. Click here to donate $1,000, $500, $100, or as much as you can.
• If you can pitch in at the grassroots level, click here to donate $25 or any amount you’re comfortable with.
• If you can’t give right now, that’s okay. Help share our message on social media, forward this email to a friend, or sign up to volunteer. Your support is just as essential to this movement as any donation.

I can’t thank you enough for reading my email. I know it was long. But I hope it left you feeling a sense of purpose and hope heading into this primary.

We have work to do, but we can win.

Your friend in the fight,

Abdul

Friends –

The system is just not working for the average American.

Not wages. Not healthcare. Not housing. Not educational opportunity. Not retirement security.

I know it’s a “radical” idea, but we need a government that represents working people, not oligarchs.

That’s what this moment demands — and that’s exactly why I’m proud to support my friend Abdul El-Sayed for U.S. Senate in Michigan.

Tonight in Kalamazoo, Abdul and I stood with thousands of people who are sick and tired of our corrupt political system. Corporate PACs have too much power over our democracy. Abdul is running to change that, and push for policies that will make life better for working people:

• Overturning the Citizens United Supreme Court decision.
• Making it easier for workers to join unions.
• Passing Medicare for All.
• Raising the minimum wage. And so much more.

Friends, the status quo politics is simply not good enough. We must elect bold, progressive leaders who are ready to stand up to the billionaire class and fight for all of us.

Abdul has the knowledge, experience, and courage we need in the Senate to take on this broken system. But if he’s going to win, he needs our help right now.

That’s why I’m asking you to donate $27 — or whatever you can afford — to Abdul’s campaign for U.S. Senate. He’s the only candidate in this race who has never taken a dime from corporate PACs, which means his campaign is fueled entirely by grassroots support.

Donate $27 ››

If we stand together, we can build a government that works for all of us — not just the wealthy few. Let’s do it.

In solidarity,

Bernie Sanders