WATCH: Abdul El-Sayed Compares His ‘Radical’ Politics to Jesus

Abdul El-Sayed, the Muslim socialist-aligned Democrat nominee for Michigan’s open Senate seat, compared his “radical” politics to Jesus, arguing that Christ was also considered a radical in His time.

Newly unearthed audio reviewed by The Daily Wire shows El-Sayed making the unusual comparison during a May interview on “The Progressive Christians Podcast,” when he was asked about left-wing priorities such as Medicare for All, opposition to war, and resisting corporate influence in politics.

“Obviously, Jesus was a healer and very focused on people’s bodies being redeemed, and yet those platforms or policies are being named radical. And we know that you have been referred to as a radical. So, what do you think about that title?” the host asked.

“You know, Jesus, peace and blessings be upon Him, was considered radical in His time too,” El-Sayed said. “And there is a radical nature to being willing to stand forthright in a time of corruption.”

This isn’t the first time El-Sayed has invoked Jesus to justify left-wing politics. Last week, he said, “If you followed the teachings of Jesus Christ, it was about upending the system against the richest and most powerful in the ways that they used their power and their money to subjugate other people. Like, that was the essential teaching.”

El-Sayed is the latest of a host of leftist candidates invoking the Christian faith this cycle to win over voters who have largely abandoned the Democratic Party. 

“Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed thinks he’s the second coming of Jesus Christ, here to save America with an extreme socialist agenda,” RNC Spokesperson Hunter Lovell told The Daily Wire. “Jesus isn’t a pawn for political games, and El-Sayed’s radical terrorist-sympathizing ideology is an insult to millions of Christians.”

A survey of Christian voters across denominations last year revealed a staggering collapse in trust in the Democratic Party, with 75% reporting little or no trust in the party, according to data shared with TIME. More than half said they trust the GOP to protect their values, while 70% said they have little or no confidence in the federal government. Adding to the alarm, 61% said life in America has become harder for people of faith over the past decade.

“You can’t be the majority party if you ignore the majority faith in this country,” Doug Pagitt, a leftist pastor and executive director of Vote Common Good, told the outlet. “We know there’s this tension in the party.”

The survey was commissioned following President Donald Trump’s decisive 2024 victory, when he captured an overwhelming share of the Christian vote, winning large majorities among evangelicals and Catholics to secure another term in the White House. 

Fast forward to 2026, and Democratic candidates — who have largely shied away from talking about faith on the campaign trail — are increasingly embracing leftist interpretations of the Bible to make inroads with religious voters. 

Sarah Trone Garriott, the Democratic candidate for Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District, emphasized her work as a Lutheran minister while campaigning over the weekend.

“Everyone knows me as the pastor. I am a Lutheran minister. I still preach on the weekends, and this month I’m celebrating the 18th anniversary of my ordination,” Trone Garriott said. “And one thing that I have learned from ministry is to serve a community well; you have got to show up.” 

The leftist minister, a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), once claimed that challenges to the traditional definitions of men and women are “very threatening” to white men and downplayed concerns about the dangers of the transgender movement for women, The Daily Wire previously reported.

In Texas, Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico has likewise emphasized his Christian faith to make inroads with evangelical voters — the largest religious group in Texas — by touting his Christian upbringing despite his support for abortion, describing God as “nonbinary,” opposing the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools, and his affiliation with a leftist Presbyterian denomination.

“As a Baptist preacher in South Texas, [my grandfather] taught me to follow the two great commandments — love God, and love your neighbor,” Talarico says in a 30-second ad before connecting those teachings to lowering the cost of healthcare, housing, and groceries. 

The strategy comes as Talarico faces a difficult challenge among evangelical voters. A recent Fox News poll found that 78% of white evangelical Christians in the Lone Star State plan to vote against Talarico, despite concerns that Ken Paxton’s (R-TX) personal scandals and marriage struggles could alienate the key demographic. 

“Democrats and the Left are increasingly realizing that rather than simply denigrate Christianity, as they did in the past, they’re better off trying to appropriate the language of Christianity and to use Jesus as a mascot for wickedness,” The Daily Wire’s Megan Basham has argued. 

“Obviously, there’s nothing Christ-like about that, as anyone with even a passing acquaintance with their Bible knows. But the Left is banking on people not being familiar with their Bibles,” she added.