First Muslim Governor? Michigan May Make it Happen

Abdul El-Sayed, a Democrat and son of Egyptian immigrants, is running for governor of Michigan. If elected, he could be the first Muslim governor in the country’s history. He left his job as the Director of the Michigan Health Department in February -- he was the youngest ever in the position. At 32, he would be the youngest governor since Bill Clinton in 1978. He is also becoming a first-time father in less than three months. While the election is still over a year away, El-Sayed is already crossing the state campaigning. He has pledged to take no corporate PAC money and is unabashedly disdainful of big money influencing elections, calling corporate campaign contributions “bribes.” He has already raised more than $1 million. He will push to legalize marijuana and says he will raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour and make Michigan a “sanctuary state.” El-Sayed completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan, earned his Masters and Ph.D. from Oriel College, Oxford and earned his MD from Columbia University.Learn more about him here.