Brief
Critics say Abdul El‑Sayed used race‑focused research to boost Senate campaign
The Michigan Democratic Senate hopeful’s past medical papers on Arab Americans have drawn accusations of racism and political opportunism.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El‑Sayed is facing criticism for allegedly turning his race‑focused medical research into a fundraising tool, according to a New York Post report published on Oct. 24, 2026.
El‑Sayed, who earned a medical degree from Columbia and authored more than 50 papers between 2007 and 2014, published several studies that examined health outcomes among Arab Americans. A 2011 paper titled “Suicide among Arab Americans” used National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding to compare suicide rates, finding Arab men had roughly half the rate of white men and Arab women 24% lower than white women. The study’s conclusion quoted Islamic Sharia law as a factor, stating, “According to traditional interpretations of Islamic Sharia law, suicide is considered haram or forbidden, and families of suicide victims can face ostracism within the Muslim community.”
Other works cited include a 2008 analysis of birth outcomes among Arab Americans before and after the September 11 attacks, a 2013 study on racial disparities in anticipated medical student debt, and a 2015 investigation of racial and insurance‑based disparities in carotid artery stenosis treatment. The Post highlighted a 2011 paper that argued Arab women should only breed with members of their own ethnic group to achieve optimal health outcomes, a claim El‑Sayed made under the name Abdulrahman M. El‑Sayed. Critics labeled the paper pseudoscientific and eugenic.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R‑TX) reacted on X, calling the research “science with a pre‑ordained racist & eugenics outcome” and describing it as “scary stuff.” The Post noted El‑Sayed posted a fundraising pitch in a white lab coat to his Facebook page, suggesting the research was being used to attract donors.
El‑Sayed’s campaign has also drawn attention from Vice President JD Vance, who, at a CBS News town hall in Michigan on Oct. 16, 2026, condemned the idea of selling White House access and specifically targeted El‑Sayed for criticism.
Key facts
- Abdul El‑Sayed authored more than 50 medical papers between 2007 and 2014, many focusing on race and religion. (nypost.com)
- A 2011 NIH‑funded study by El‑Sayed reported lower suicide rates among Arab Americans compared with white Americans. (nypost.com)
- Sen. Ted Cruz called El‑Sayed’s 2011 paper on Arab women ‘eugenics’ on X. (nypost.com)
- Vice President JD Vance criticized El‑Sayed at a Michigan town hall on Oct. 16, 2026. (nypost.com)
Sources
- [1] nypost.com — originally reported as “Abdul El-Sayed parlayed his race-obsessed medical research to fast-track, fund journey to Congress: critics”
