Michigans newly selected Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed is under fire after a resurfaced video captured him deriding one of his states most cherished destinations, Mackinac Island.
The footage originates from the 2020 documentary *How to Fix a Primary*, which chronicled El-Sayeds failed 2018 gubernatorial bid, according to Gateway Pundit. In the clip, as he walks toward the Grand Hotel while horses pass by, El-Sayed bluntly declares, I hate Mackinac so much.
He then muses about the island becoming his summer home if he won the governors race before adding, Every time Ive ever come here, Ive hated it. Why am I here? After the video went viral, the radical leftist did not retreat from his comments, instead doubling down by saying, Not sure about End Wokeness, but I dont think the most American place in MI can be a place that bans cars.
For a candidate now seeking to represent the entire state in the U.S. Senate, that is a remarkable way to introduce himself to voters who revere Mackinac as part of Michigans identity. Mackinac Island is more than a tourist stop; the car-free destination is a celebrated landmark known for its horse-drawn carriages, historic charm, natural beauty, and iconic fudge shops.
The Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau has promoted it as the nations top summer travel destination and the leading island in the continental United States. The island has also housed the Michigan governors official summer residence since 1945, according to the tourism bureau.
The resurfaced remarks triggered immediate outrage online, with critics accusing El-Sayed of sneering at a place generations of Michigan families consider a state treasure. Many argue that anyone aspiring to statewide office should not have to be coached into showing basic respectlet alone affectionfor one of Michigans most emblematic and tradition-rich destinations.
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