WASHINGTON — Democratic bigwigs are rushing to embrace Michigan Senate hopeful Dr. Abdul El-Sayed and present a united front, with California Gov. Gavin Newsom expected to visit him Monday and former President Barack Obama giving him a call.
The Dem powerbrokers are seemingly trying to soothe moderates in the Wolverine State who might have found El-Sayed too extreme during the bruising Senate primary and encourage them to back the progressive in November.
Newsom, a long-speculated 2028 aspirant, hailed El-Sayed as a “fighter” and called for Dems to unite due to the “existential” moment the country faces.
“House races are important, but the Senate is in play, and it will go through this state. So, getting behind him is going to be important,” Newsom told reporters during his visit to Michigan. “It’s going to be a very tough race in November.”
El-Sayed’s primary fight against Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) was viewed as a “battle for the soul of the Democratic Party” because it pitted a mainstream candidate against a lefty.
Given El-Sayed’s embrace of notorious lefty figures such as Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who once said that “America deserved 9/11,” many observers have viewed him and Newsom as catering to different ends of the Democratic coalition.
But Newsom rejected that notion and claimed that he’s an “insurgent insider.”
“This notion of insurgency over incumbency is the real message here. People just want fighters; they want people with conviction, strength, sincerity,” Newsom added. “I totally respect that.”
“I’ve long felt like I’ve been an established insurgent.”
The California Democrat has been working to build up his credibility with the progressive base after alienating it during his time as governor by vetoing certain pieces of legislation and opposing goals such as a temporary statewide wealth tax on billionaires.
Newsom said he drew some inspiration from former President Barack Obama’s call with El-Sayed last week to make overtures to him.
“It was a really warm and inspiring conversation,” El-Sayed told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday about his call with the 44th president.
“I know that he knows the critical role that Michigan is going to play in holding Trump accountable, in winning back the Senate, and in building forward the future that we need.”
Last week, Democrats in Michigan held a unity rally, with former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg joining the rally to whip up support for El-Sayed.
Looming over the push to coalesce around El-Sayed are fears that the bruising primary battle could leave Democrats divided in the Senate race come November.
“Whoever comes out of it is going to have a coalition problem. Remember, voting starts in about five or six weeks. We’re in an election cycle now,” Republican Senate hopeful Mike Rogers told The Post last week.
Last week, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer gave a tepid endorsement of El-Sayed, despite the latter being uncommitted to backing him as Senate Dem leader.
Schumer had backed Stevens in the primary, indicating that he viewed her as the more electable candidate of the two. But the top Senate Dem said that he still thinks El-Sayed can win the general election.
“Keep talking about jobs, talking about lower costs, talking about corruption — the same things that our candidates talk about across the country,” Schumer said of his advice to El-Sayed when asked by the Washington Post.
