Democrat Abdul El-Sayed courts RFK Jr.’s MAHA voters with new health policy platform

September 29, 2026 / 6:00 AM EDT / CBS News

Washington — Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is making a play for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s "Make America Healthy Again" supporters with the release Tuesday of a new health policy platform.

"I think we have an opportunity to remind folks that we've always been the people who want people to be healthier, rather than the folks who capitulate to the food, ag and pharmaceutical corporations that are too often on the wrong side of things," El-Sayed told CBS News.

The platform, dubbed the Building A Healthier America Policy Agenda, takes aim at pesticides in food, backing legislation that would give people the right to sue pesticide manufacturers over harm caused by the products. It seeks accountability for polluters, with a pledge to get industry lobbyists out of regulatory agencies. And it aims to get substances such as lead and microplastics out of water, in part by strengthening federal drinking water rules. It also proposes investments in school meal programs and grocery stores on wheels.

El-Sayed, a former Michigan health official, has been vocal about healthcare issues along the campaign trail, speaking frequently about Medicare For All alongside a push…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/