How Abdul El-Sayed Used Weightlifting to Shape His Election Campaign

For Abdulrahman “Abdul” El-Sayed, weightlifting was never just a hobby. The Egyptian-American politician, who became the first Muslim of Egyptian descent elected to the Michigan State Senate on November 3rd, 2026, turned his passion for the sport into an unexpected feature of his campaign, using the gym to present a different image of what it means to be a man.

Through repeated appearances in weightlifting gyms and displays of his ability to lift heavy weights, El-Sayed sought to challenge traditional ideas of masculinity, particularly the association between manhood, dominance and aggression. Instead, he put forward a different definition of strength, one rooted in showing up for your family and taking responsibility for your community.

This was not simply an idea he discussed in campaign speeches. It became a recurring feature of his public appearances, beginning with a workout session alongside political commentator Hasan Piker.

More than a year ago, El-Sayed met Piker at HYPE Athletics in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, for a livestreamed conversation hosted by the Twitch star. At the time, El-Sayed was in the early stages of a fiercely contested primary race.

The conversation took place largely between sets, with the two spending much of their time working out. What followed was an extended display of gym camaraderie, as they moved between bench presses, back exercises and Turkish get-ups. El-Sayed even used a 50-pound kettlebell for his warm-up. Between sets, the pair counted reps, caught their breath and exchanged jokes, building an easy rapport in front of the cameras.

One of the session's main talking points was whether El-Sayed could bench press 315 pounds. Once the weights were finally racked, Piker stopped in front of the mirror to flex his arms, encouraging El-Sayed to join him and show off his muscles to viewers.

Still catching his breath and visibly sweating, El-Sayed jokingly pushed back: “That's not the kind of show we're putting on, man. I want them to want to elect me because of my policies.”

He eventually played along, however, rolling up his sleeves to reveal his tan lines before attempting a slightly awkward flex of his own.

The gym appearances did not end there. In May 2026, El-Sayed returned to the weight room, this time combining a workout with a discussion of his political platform. He trained at Detroit Body Garage alongside the gym's founder, Tera Castro.

During the video, Castro discussed how El-Sayed's proposed Medicare for All programme could benefit her clients, while the candidate offered a personal glimpse into his own fitness routine, proudly noting that his wife could lift one-and-a-half times her body weight.

A few months later, in August 2026, El-Sayed appeared to spell out exactly what he wanted these gym appearances to communicate. In a video filmed in the gym at his home, he gave viewers a look at a space that felt more like an unfinished basement workout room than the polished, magazine-ready fitness studios often associated with campaign imagery. It was equipped with free weights and little in the way of luxury.

Once again, he was dressed in his usual workout uniform: a black T-shirt and light grey shorts. But this time, he made the connection between weightlifting and masculinity explicit.

“Weightlifting is something I've been doing for a long time,” he explained. “A lot of what I'm trying to do is say, look, masculinity isn't about how you look in the gym. It's about how you show up for your family and the role you play in your community.”