Abdul El-Sayed agreed ‘cars are the modern-day cigarette’ in resurfaced 2016 speech
Killian Bies
The Midwesterner
September 22, 2026
Michigan Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed agreed that “cars are the modern-day cigarette” during a 2016 speech in Boston, adding to a series of past remarks criticizing everything from American football to Fourth of July fireworks.
El-Sayed, who was serving as director of the Detroit Health Department at the time, made the remark while discussing the auto industry’s role in Detroit.
“Detroit is Motown. It’ll also be the Motor City,” El-Sayed said. “Cars are a big deal in Detroit whether or not you like them.”
“One person made an argument to me that I probably agree with,” he continued. “Cars are the modern-day cigarette. They’re just like this, like, why do we do it this way?”
Despite his antipathy toward automobiles, the Wayne County firebrand received the United Autoworkers of America endorsement last June.
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