Abdul El-Sayed says he is not a socialist. In a July debate, he said, 'When it comes to the question of socialism, I’m not a socialist.'
But his platform looks a lot like the socialist Left's agenda.
El-Sayed is seeking a Senate seat in Michigan and will face Republican Mike Rogers in November. His campaign backs Medicare for All with universal coverage and no premiums, copayments or deductibles. It also supports a wealth tax on fortunes above $1 billion, higher taxes on high earners and greater power for unions.
His agenda goes further. The campaign lists abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, eliminating the Senate filibuster and major changes to the Supreme Court as priorities. El-Sayed has also laid out an 'AI Under Democracy' plan calling for 'democratic ownership and governance' of artificial intelligence.
That puts him close to the Democratic Socialists of America on several major issues. The DSA's national program calls for government ownership of the largest corporations and essential industries. It also pushes healthcare for all, aggressive wealth taxes, expanded union power and abolishing ICE.
In June, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., introduced legislation that would give the public a 50% ownership stake in the country's largest AI companies. El-Sayed said, 'I agree that we need public ownership,' and also said, 'we need some system of public control.'
The big picture: El-Sayed is trying to separate the socialist label from the policy menu. Voters in a battleground state will decide whether the label matters less than the agenda. Between the lines, this is a test of how far a candidate can move left while keeping the branding cleaner than the program.