Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed once urged Americans to chase the dream in Canada

Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic candidate for the Michigan Senate, suggested in a 2023 podcast that Americans would be better off moving to Canada to realize the so-called American dream, arguing that upward mobility is twice as likely north of the border. He backed the statement with economic data on mobility, while the piece points out that the United States currently has a lower unemployment rate, higher GDP per capita, higher median disposable income and faster growth than Canada, citing OECD figures that show a 2024 median household disposable income of $66,155 in the U.S. versus $36,487 in Canada.

Earlier this week, El-Sayed defended Canada amid a trade conflict with President Trump, labeling the president’s actions as “asshole-like.” The candidate’s campaign did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The article frames his remarks as controversial and highlights the contrast between his statements and current economic indicators. It also references his podcast “America Dissected” as the source of the original claim.