He does know cars are kind of a big deal in Michigan, right?
Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed is facing fresh scrutiny over a decade-old remark comparing cars to cigarettes — an awkward clip to resurface for a candidate running in the heart of America’s auto industry.
During a 2016 speech in Boston, El-Sayed discussed Detroit’s dependence on automobiles and said someone had made an argument he “probably” agreed with.
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“Cars are the modern-day cigarette,” El-Sayed said. “They’re just — they’re like — like why do we do it this way?”
He knew the sensitivity even then.
“Cars are a big deal in Detroit whether or not you like them,” El-Sayed said during the same remarks.
Republicans resurfaced the clip this week as El-Sayed campaigns statewide against Republican Mike Rogers for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat.
The contrast is particularly striking in Michigan, where the auto industry remains an economic anchor. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has said nearly 1.2 million Michigan jobs are supported directly or indirectly by the industry, while a 2026 state report counted roughly 173,000 core automotive jobs.
Good luck in the Motor City, Abdul.
Watch the clip below:
Abdul El-Sayed thinks “cars are the modern-day cigarette”
He is a Green New Deal socialist who wants to completely dismantle Michigan’s auto industry. pic.twitter.com/cWBeTj2ZAi
— Senate Republicans (@NRSC) September 22, 2026
More over at Just The News:
EL-Sayed in 2016: Cars are the ‘modern-day cigarette’ https://t.co/6nDMDvudYa
— Just the News (@JustTheNews) September 23, 2026
