Michigan’s newly minted Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed is facing a fierce online backlash after a resurfaced video showed him trashing one of the state’s most beloved destinations: Mackinac Island.
The clip comes from the 2020 documentary How to Fix a Primary, which followed El-Sayed’s unsuccessful 2018 campaign for governor, according to The Midwesterner.
Walking toward the Grand Hotel as horses passed nearby, El-Sayed complained:
“I hate Mackinac so much.”
He then joked about the island becoming his summer home if he won the governor’s race before adding:
“Every time I’ve ever come here, I’ve hated it. Why am I here?”
Watch:
Mackinac Island may be a treasured institution to many Michiganders, but not to Abdul El-Sayed.
“I hate Mackinac so much,” he said in a 2020 documentary about himself.
“…every time I’ve ever come here, I’ve hated it. Why am I here?” pic.twitter.com/e4w1Lhf8eo
— The Midwesterner (@Th_Midwesterner) August 7, 2026
After the video went viral, the radical leftist doubled down, stating, “Not sure about ‘End Wokeness,’ but I don’t think the most ‘American place in MI’ can be a place that… bans cars.”
Not sure about “End Wokeness,” but I don’t think the most “American place in MI” can be a place that…bans cars. https://t.co/PGPQklztVO
— Dr. Abdul El-Sayed (@AbdulElSayed) August 7, 2026
That is one way to introduce yourself to voters across the state you now want to represent.
Mackinac Island is not just another vacation stop. The car-free island is one of Michigan’s best-known landmarks, celebrated for its horse-drawn carriages, historic sites, natural beauty, and famous fudge shops. It has also been promoted as the nation’s top summer travel destination and the top island in the continental United States by the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau.
The Michigan governor’s official summer residence has been located on the island since 1945, according to the tourism bureau.
The resurfaced remarks immediately drew angry reactions online, with critics accusing El-Sayed of showing contempt for a place generations of Michigan families regard as a state treasure. Others argued that a candidate seeking statewide office should not need to be persuaded to show basic affection for one of Michigan’s signature destinations.
The post Mass Outrage Erupts in Michigan After Radical Democrat Senate Nominee Abdul El-Sayed Caught on Camera Saying He HATES the State’s Prized Mackinac Island appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.