El-Sayed tells Detroit faith leaders that his Muslim faith shapes his progressive views

Progressive candidates cite religion as justification for economic platforms

Abdul El-Sayed, a former public health researcher and gubernatorial candidate running as a Democrat for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, told a Detroit gathering of progressive pastors, imams and a rabbi that his Muslim faith shapes his progressive views on economic issues.

“If you can’t eat food and I have something to do about it, I better do it,” El-Sayed said. He asked the interfaith leaders what being accountable to “something bigger than you” should mean for serving the people around them. The meeting was held days before Michigan’s Tuesday Democratic primary.

The event reflects a broader pattern of progressive Democratic candidates citing religion as a justification for their economic platforms. The economy has become a dominant issue in the campaign cycle, with voters expressing frustration over inequality, rising costs and the potential for artificial intelligence to displace jobs.

Candidates across the country who align with the party’s progressive wing have won a series of major electoral victories in recent months by putting economic equity at the center of their platforms.