Old Videos Put Abdul El-Sayed on Defense

El-Sayed also drew attention for comments on the Second Amendment after a 2023 school shooting in Tennessee. In one deleted video, he asked, “What if we tweaked the Constitution, amended the amendment, and instead of the right to bear arms, we change it to the right to have health care?” He said that such a change would lead to fewer gun deaths and more people getting health care. His campaign now says he respects the Second Amendment while backing steps aimed at keeping firearms away from criminals.

The deleted archive also included earlier remarks on policing. During interviews in 2020, El-Sayed said, “we do need to defund the police,” describing the idea as shifting money from law enforcement to schools, social programs and anti-poverty efforts. CNN previously reported that he deleted social media posts supporting that movement. More recently, El-Sayed has rejected claims that he still supports defunding police, saying his past remarks have been taken out of context.

The videos also included a February 2023 podcast discussion in which El-Sayed questioned whether football could be considered “ethical” or “safe.” He said the sport’s ethos reflected narratives historically tied to slavery and westward expansion. Another deleted segment showed a sponsorship message involving the Marguerite Casey Foundation, with El-Sayed praising research areas backed by the group, including what he called “feminist prison abolition.” Not every removed clip was political; CNN reported that some were lighter in tone, and one episode in November 2024 encouraged support for then-Vice President Kamala Harris.

The controversy arrives just after El-Sayed narrowly defeated Rep. Haley Stevens in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary. He is now set to face former Rep. Mike Rogers in a general election that could help decide control of the Senate. Republicans are expected to use the old videos to argue that El-Sayed sits outside Michigan’s political mainstream, while his campaign says the material does not reflect his current views. For voters, the fight is a reminder that old words can still shape a modern campaign — especially in a race with national stakes.