Michigan voters heard Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El‑Sayed tell Fox News host Jesse Watters on Monday that he would not defend the Green New Deal when pressed about his earlier public support. El‑Sayed shifted the conversation to lowering energy costs and creating Michigan jobs through renewable energy.
Past posts show strong endorsement
A Fox News Digital review of El‑Sayed’s deleted social‑media posts, archived by the Internet Archive, uncovered dozens of examples in which the candidate defended the Green New Deal by name. In a January 2019 post he wrote, “Rather than announcing the next iteration of this or that car at the North American International Auto Show, I’d love to see automakers announce that they support the #GreenNewDeal.” He also posted in April 2019, “The struggle for the Green New Deal uplifts the struggle for racial justice,” and in September 2019 he wrote in all caps, “I BELIEVE IN A GREEN NEW DEAL.”
El‑Sayed linked the proposal to public‑health concerns, stating the plan “doesn’t center polar bears or glaciers, it centers those children forced to breathe corporate pollution in their communities.” He claimed the Green New Deal was essential to protect First Amendment freedoms, arguing there can be no free speech “without the freedom to breathe the breath you have to take to speak in the first place.”
Shift in messaging as campaign intensifies
When Watters reminded El‑Sayed of his prior record, the candidate declined to defend the policy and instead emphasized a focus on affordable energy and job creation. The change comes as Michigan’s Senate race tightens; President Trump won the state in 2024 but lost it in 2020, making the contest a potential determinant of control of Congress.
Critics argue El‑Sayed is attempting to scrub his online footprint to appear more moderate to swing voters. In addition to Green New Deal posts, the review found deleted content in which El‑Sayed endorsed “defund the police,” described police departments as “standing armies we deploy against our own people,” and suggested replacing the Second Amendment right to bear arms with a constitutional right to health care. He also labeled Border Patrol agents “white supremacists” in a hidden YouTube video.
Campaign response
The El‑Sayed campaign did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Implications for Michigan voters
El‑Sayed’s refusal to defend the Green New Deal may influence undecided voters who are wary of progressive climate legislation that they perceive as costly or job‑killing. The candidate’s emphasis on renewable energy and job creation aligns with broader Republican messaging on energy affordability, a point that could resonate in a state where the auto industry remains a major employer.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
