Abdul El-Sayed in 2018 MI Governor's race

On Crime: Move from prison to productive citizenship

As governor, I will commit to reforming the Michigan criminal justice system through five policy priorities:
1. Reducing sentence length
2. Reducing the prison population
3. Improving prison conditions
4. Supporting returning citizens
5. Improving hiring and training standards for police to end police violence.

On Drugs: End marijuana prohibition; tax it and regulate it

• Initiate a thorough review of the Licensing Board to ensure that costs accurately reflect the money needed to operate.
• Appoint members to the Licensing Board who represent small businesses and communities of color.
• Launch a state-funded incubator for cannabis businesses and entrepreneurs of color and those in rural communities.
• Work with the AG to protect cannabis businesses and users from undue intervention from local and state law enforcement.

On Government Reform: Fundamental right to be heard at the ballot box

As governor, I will work to:
• Automatically register applicants with a Michigan ID to vote.
• Promote no-reason absentee voting and an expansion of early voting.
• Designate voting day a state holiday so working people can get to the ballot box.
• Push to re-enfranchise those who are currently incarcerated.

On Gun Control: No gun possession for convicted domestic abusers

• Prohibit individuals convicted of domestic violence misdemeanors from possessing or purchasing firearms;
• Require courts to notify individuals convicted of domestic abuse that they are no longer allowed to possess ammunition or firearms;
• Require the surrender of firearms or ammunition by individuals convicted of domestic abuse;
• Require law enforcement to remove firearms from the scene of a domestic violence incident.

On Gun Control: Take on the corporate gun lobby; enough is enough

Here are my commitments to make Michigan a safer and more responsible state:
1. Prohibit the sale or possession of "weapons of war," large capacity magazines, and any modifiers that increase fire rate.
2. Close background check loopholes.
3. Include domestic abusers in Michigan's prohibited purchaser provisions.
4. Require law enforcement to disarm individuals who become prohibited purchasers after purchasing a weapon, being issued a handgun purchase license, or receiving a concealed carry permit.
5. Reintroduce discretion into the concealed pistol permit process. Michigan is known as a "shall issue" state.
6. Prohibit the open carry of firearms in public buildings and registered private establishments.

On Energy & Oil: Electric user fee raises $3.3B for clean energy in 15 years

As governor, El-Sayed would look to bonding for $600 million and divert $14 million from the Michigan Department of Corrections to pay for initial investment in water infrastructure systems; a user fee of 0.01 cents per kilowatt hour to raise $105 million for clean energy each year, which he contends could be used to leverage $3.3 billion in additional investment over 15 years; paying for roads through a 1.5 cents-per-mile vehicle mileage tax and taxing marijuana if it becomes legal in Michigan, to raise more than $1.6 billion per year for maintenance and transit.

On Technology: We need $4B per year for Pure Michigan Infrastructure Bank

El-Sayed generally agrees with the Snyder-appointed 21st Century Infrastructure Commission's finding that Michigan has an investment gap of $4 billion per year, the spokesman said. "Yet we differ on what's needed to make Michigan's infrastructure whole," he added. "First, we need a public infrastructure bank--our Pure Michigan Infrastructure Bank--that can keep investments in infrastructure under public control while empowering private investment. Second, the recommended investment estimates don't include the need to transition to clean energy ($0 annually). Third, suggested transportation investments skew too heavily to new road construction rather than creation of mass transit options."

On Tax Reform: Limit tax foreclosures for over-assessed Detroit properties

"Some people in Detroit are paying more than the value of their home every year in taxes," El-Sayed said. "If that happened in the suburbs, people would be up in arms." El-Sayed's plan builds in a review of every tax foreclosure for over-assessment. Any finding of over-assessment at any point would lead to automatic enrollment in a discounted state repayment plan. Money from the state's Hardest Hit Fund could assist county governments with the review. El-Sayed would also streamline the process for a poverty exemption, which would no longer have to be handled in person.

On Civil Rights: Sensitive to women's rights and transgender people's rights

"We have to believe that government is for the people by the people and that it hasn't been sold out to corporations or to money," El-Sayed said. "I'm not running for governor to be governor."

On Families & Children: Invest in Detroit to keep millennials in Michigan

In order to mobilize millennials, El-Sayed said more investments need to be made into economies like Detroit's in order to keep millennials in Michigan. Additionally, he mentioned sustaining the political activism seen by young voters.

On Health Care: Public health suffers when you run government as a business

On Immigration: Biracial families like mine inspire more diverse government

As the son of Egyptian immigrants, El-Sayed recognized the unlikeliness of his candidacy. However, he stressed that his background of coming from a biracial family reflects the goals he has for Michigan to become more inclusive. "This is the American family I grew up in," El-Sayed said. "We didn't always agree. The one thing we could agree upon was our future, that we could believe in this society regardless of background."

Opposite to what some have said about his campaign, El-Sayed said his background and religious differences won't hinder him, but will hopefully inspire a more diverse government. "If you're not going to vote for me because I'm Muslim, you weren't going to vote for me anyway," he said.

On Welfare & Poverty: Economic well-being means helping those less privileged

On Immigration: People who look like me are not sitting on the sidelines

His supporters say his family reflects the diversity of the state. His parents are immigrants who left Egypt in pursuit of greater opportunity in America and other family members are farmers, teachers, and small-business owners who have lived in Gratiot County for generations.

Last month, Trump ordered a controversial ban on travel for immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries wracked by terrorism including Iran, Iraq and Syria.

On Environment: Advocate for environmental justice on lead exposure

In his tenure at the Detroit Department of Health & Wellness Promotion , El-Sayed overhauled the city's troubled animal control office and emerged as an outspoken advocate for residents most impacted by higher rates of lead exposure and asthma. He opposed Marathon Petroleum's controversial request to increase emissions in southwest Detroit and demanded a safer learning environment for city schoolchildren.