54:25
El-Sayed has voiced support for the abolishment of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE), marijuana legalization and has embraced a single-payer health care system for Michigan, a central policy plank the modern progressive movement.
Single-payer is the most reasonable approach for Michigan, and as a doctor, I know how to get it done.
— Abdul El-Sayed (@AbdulElSayed)July 24, 2018
Check out our MichCare plan for state-level medicare-for-all in Michigan. https://t.co/rYwb6Scq6O pic.twitter.com/lYjABTExKi
Thanedar, a self-funding, eccentric millionaire, and chemist with a compelling personal background, says his background and policy positions, like support for a single-payer health care system and a plan to raise taxes on the ultra-rich to funding the state's public education system, make him the most deserving of the progressive label.
“My ultimate goal is single-payer health care...I want to eliminate the influence of dark money, Thanedar told ABC News in an interview at his Ann Arbor campaign headquarters in April.
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/Politics/shri-thanedar-ap-jc-180725_hpEmbed_7x5_384.jpg\")
“But more than that I have lived a progressive life...I struggled, I slept in my car and when it got too hot I slept in the chemistry building at the university where I was teaching,” said Thanedar.
“I’ve never given an employee less than $15 an hour. So it’s fine for someone who comes from privilege and go make speeches about $15 an hour and about poverty and about income inequality,” an implicit swipe at El-Sayed, who he says is not qualified to be the state’s governor.
\"Our seniors should not have to make the choice between paying for prescriptions and putting food on the table. Healthcare is not a privilege, it is a fundamental right. I would implement a universal, single-payer healthcare system.\" #MIGov #MIDemDebate #Shri2018
— Shri Thanedar (@ShriForMI) July 20, 2018
Thanedar also said Whitmer was unqualified for the job, and says the accomplishments she refers to in the state legislature, like Medicaid expansion, were the result of the willingness of a Republican governor to compromise with Democrats.
“Snyder broke from the rest of the Republican governors and took advantage of Obamacare’s money to expand Medicaid. And she takes credit for that,” Thanedar said, “I think about a person that has worked for 15, 14 years in politics, term-limited in the House, term-limited in the Senate cannot name a few accomplishments, and had to borrow accomplishments from others.”
The health care debate has been front and center in the race, and at a recent debate in Detroit, the tensions between the candidates continued to boil over.
El-Sayed dinged Whitmer, the daughter of a former Blue Cross Blue Shield executive, over a fundraising effort Blue Cross led on her behalf, and what he claims is her close relationship with insurance companies, saying she is “taking money from those same corporations, those same individuals, who want to maintain the status quo,” when it comes to healthcare.
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/Politics/gretchen-whitmer-gty-jc-180725_hpEmbed_3x2_384.jpg\")
Whitmer has not indicated support for a single-payer healthcare plan like El-Sayed and Thanedar, but instead refers again to her work in the state legislature as evidence she will push for “quality, affordable health care” for Michiganders, according to her campaign.
“She’s the only candidate in the race who has actually expanded coverage for Michiganders,” campaign spokesman Zack Pohl recently told the Associated Press.
A nationwide April poll from the Washington Post and the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 51 percent of Americans and 74 percent of Democrats support having a single-payer health care option where they would receive insurance from a single government plan.
Thanedar, who has faced questions about his progressive credentials given his past donations to Republican presidential candidates like John McCain, name-checked Sanders in voicing his support for “Medicare for All” health care system.
“I support Bernie Sanders’ Medicare For All, the expanded plan, at the national level – if we can that, that’s great; if not, I’ll do it at the state level,” Thanedar said.
Of his past donations to Republicans like McCain, Thanedar defends himself by citing his more generous donations to Democrats.
\"They make a big deal about me giving $2,300 to John McCain, I've given $29,000 to Democrats, and there's only one Republican I gave money to,\" Thanedar told ABC News.
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/Politics/abdul-el-sayed-rd-jc-180725_hpEmbed_3x2_384.jpg\")
In less than two weeks, after the political jostling subsides and voters from both parties choose candidates, the nominee will face a matchup with either the state Attorney General Bill Schuette, who was the backing of President Trump, or Michigan Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley, who has Snyder’s support after serving alongside him for eight years.
The last Democrat to capture the governor’s mansion in Michigan was Jennifer Granholm, who won re-election in 2006 over Republican Dick DeVos, the husband of current U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.
ABC News' Lee Harris contributed to this story.
","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/Politics/microcosm-bigger-fight-democrats-vie-progressive-mantle-michigan/story?id=56812353","legacySlug":"/news/story/microcosm-bigger-fight-democrats-vie-progressive-mantle-michigan-56812353","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"15:54","publishDate":"07-27-2018","updatedTime":"03:45","updatedDate":"07-28-2018","socialImage":{"alt":"Michigan Democratic gubernatorial candidates from left, Shri Thanedar, Gretchen Whitmer and Abdul El-Sayed are seen during their first debate in Grand Raids, Mich., June 20, 2018.","credit":"Pool via AP, FILE","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/Politics/michigan-governors-race-dems-ap-jc-180725_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"7/27/2018 15:54:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":56812353,"headline":"Dems want progressive mantle in Michigan gov race","mediaAssetTitle":"VERHOVEK_MICHIGANGOV_072518","description":"Three Michigan Democratic hopefuls are vying for the progressive label.","duration":"54:25","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2017/12/171219_vod_orig_uncomf_sayed_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["133144263","132956835","132488083"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"May 20, 2026","headline":"Fashion mogul’s son arrested in father’s fatal fall","section":"News","slug":"/video/133144263","id":"133144263","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fashion mogul’s son arrested in father’s fatal fall","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fashion mogul’s son arrested in father’s fatal fall","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"May 14, 2026","headline":"Trump meets Xi Jinping in high-stakes Beijing summit","section":"News","slug":"/video/132956835","id":"132956835","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump meets Xi Jinping in high-stakes Beijing summit","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260514_gma_bruce_china1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump meets Xi Jinping in high-stakes Beijing summit","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260514_gma_bruce_china1_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260514_gma_bruce_china1_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260514_gma_bruce_china1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260514_gma_bruce_china1_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260514_gma_bruce_china1_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260514_gma_bruce_china1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260514_gma_bruce_china1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260514_gma_bruce_china1_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260514_gma_bruce_china1_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 29, 2026","headline":"Grand jury indicts former FBI director over Instagram post","section":"News","slug":"/video/132488083","id":"132488083","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Grand jury indicts former FBI director over Instagram post","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Grand jury indicts former FBI director over Instagram post","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Dems want progressive mantle in Michigan gov race","description":"Three Michigan Democratic hopefuls are vying for the progressive label.","duration":"54:25","uploadDate":"07-27-2018","publication":"07-27-2018","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2017/12/171219_vod_orig_uncomf_sayed_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2017/12/171219_vod_orig_uncomf_sayed_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/microcosm-bigger-fight-democrats-vie-progressive-mantle-michigan-56812353"}},"playlist":[{"id":"133390157","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133415361","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133414032","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133380485","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133358298","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133350119","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133307515","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133307527","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133282665","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133220149","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133179167","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133144373","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133144059","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133143081","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133075455","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133063114","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133063086","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133015093","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132998564","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132998072","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:news:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"news","title":"Dems want progressive mantle in Michigan gov race","pubTime":"11:54","pubDate":"07-27-2018","modTime":"23:45","modDate":"07-27-2018","taxonomyTags":"none","id":56812353,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Dems want progressive mantle in Michigan gov race","mediaAssetTitle":"VERHOVEK_MICHIGANGOV_072518","videoId":56812353,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/news/story/microcosm-bigger-fight-democrats-vie-progressive-mantle-michigan-56812353"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/56812353","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/56812353","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};