A video of Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed arguing that persistent poverty represents a failure of society rather than individuals is circulating again as the progressive former Detroit health director campaigns for the U.S. Senate.
“Abdul El-Sayed: Being poor is not a failure. We need to push back against the cult of hard work.” The remarks appear to come from an older panel discussion, although the date and setting of the original recording have not been independently established.
Abdul El-Sayed: Being poor is not a failure. We need to push back against the cult of hard work. pic.twitter.com/MD6S4TsKf9
— MAZE (@mazemoore) September 4, 2026
El-Sayed, 41, narrowly defeated U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens in Michigan’s Aug. 4 Democratic primary and will face Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers in November for the seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters. The physician and former Detroit health director ran as the progressive alternative in the primary, campaigning prominently on Medicare for All and restrictions on U.S. military support for Israel.
The resurfaced remarks come as other elements of El-Sayed’s record have drawn scrutiny since his primary victory. As New Conservative Post reported this week, CNN commentator and former Obama administration official Van Jones criticized El-Sayed’s proposed arms embargo against Israel, including defensive weapons, calling it “an insane position.” Jones said he knows El-Sayed through CNN and argued that barring Israel even from purchasing American missile interceptors goes considerably further than Democrats who favor conditioning U.S. military aid.
El-Sayed has also sought to repair relations with Jewish Democrats after criticism of comments he made following the March attack on Temple Israel in suburban Detroit that attempted to blow up 140 preschoolers at a synagogue. El-Sayed initially condemned the attack but later said “hurt people hurt people” while discussing the attacker’s reported loss of relatives in an Israeli airstrike, essentially blaming Jews in Michigan for the actions of Israel thousands of miles away. He didn’t realize that American Jews and Israelis are different.
The “cult of hard work” clip puts the focus back on another longstanding element of El-Sayed’s politics: Socialists love talking about workers, but they hate working.
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