El-Sayed explains why he prefers Senate leadership change

Has Chris Van Holland told you if he's running?  We've had a lot of conversations and I just want. to step back. I mean, this is somebody  who's made his bones in both the Senate, but then also in Congress and also uh in his  state legislature. He is a legislator's legislator. uh extremely well respected by um different groups  in uh the Democratic caucus and somebody I think. uh would just be an incredible uh leader for uh  the Senate, which is why back in the summer I was. talking about why I thought he'd be uh the right  choice. Have you talked to him directly about this.

since you became a senator elect last week? Well,  to tell him that I thought he'd be a great choice. Um, you know, obviously he's heard me say it and  um and in person I've told him I just think he'd. be a refreshing choice. And you know, I don't want  to take anything away from Senator Schumer. Uh, he's put a lot of effort uh into helping  to architect the uh the majority that we. are going to enjoy uh in the next two years uh  and obviously has just a wealth of knowledge. um and uh and capacity. But I do think that this  moment calls for a different kind of leadership. You know, when my state spoke up, they were asking  for money out of politics, money in your pocket,

Medicare for all. They wanted action and uh I  think this is just a moment for us to be able. to pivot with uh what our our collective  states have been telling us uh that they. want. And what do you think Chris Van Holland  will do differently? Well, I think number one, I think he understands that this moment calls  for just a very different kind of leadership. you know, rather than the kind of omnibus bill  packages, things like the inflation reduction act, which had really really great legislation inside  of it, but was almost impossible to message.

because it didn't brand on all of the incredible  uh pieces of legislation inside of it. We need. quick hits that really allow us to go out and talk  about what we're going to deliver, what it is, and then force the president to decide. Does he  want to veto legislation that's broadly popular, that's the that's what the American public voted  uh for, or does he want to actually work with us. to try to address the challenges that people are  facing, you know, across the state, I was meeting. people, we're talking about, look, my kids getting  priced out of playing baseball. I can't afford a. second bag of groceries. I don't know if I fill  up my tank if I'm going to have enough to be.

able to go grocery shopping afterwards. American  public needs answers. They need action. So, what. we need to be able to do is address every single  piece. And I've been very clear that starts with. addressing the nuclear bomb that is about to go  off in our healthcare system and reversing these. Medicaid tax Medicaid cuts that are about to go  through. And then we need to end this ridiculous. war that has we have no business fighting. It's  illegal, immoral, and unethical. And finally, the tariffs that we're all paying huge amounts  of money for that make no actual economic sense.

We need to be able to hit those in quick  succession and to lead the caucus in that. direction to deliver for the public. And despite  praising him for this new majority, you don't. think Chuck Schumer can do that? Well, I think  it is a moment right now for us to be thinking. about new leadership. I mean, I just look, you  know, we we've seen the past and like I said, uh, Senator Schumer has led Aly in the past,  but this is a moment for a refresh. You know, I I spent the last two days with a freshman class  that, you know, just represents America in a in. in a real way. and each of them has spent the last  18 months or so crisscrossing their own states. Uh.

when you get the kind of majorities that we saw uh  in Texas, in Kansas, uh in South Carolina, and of. course in Michigan, uh what that says right now is  that we are so frustrated with the leadership of. the Republicans that we are willing to give you  a a chance. We haven't earned our mandate yet, though, and that is about what we do next.  And if what we do next is too much like what. we've done in the past, I just think we might  not be meeting the moment. And I' I'd like to. see leadership that is willing to do that. Chris  Van Holland has been in Washington since 2003. I.

believe that was the year you graduated high  school. Actually, he's 67. Schumer is 75. Do. you think he's the generational change that some  in your party are pushing for? Well, like I said, I you know, obviously a lot of the the the new  members um represent a real generational change, but there's also something about the way the  Senate works. And so I think he strikes a really. uh great balance between the kind of generational  change that we're asking for in new leadership, but also somebody who's been in and around the  Senate and the House to understand how to shepherd.

legislation uh through the process. And I think,  you know, he just represents that that unique. ability both to have earned his statesmanship and  have earned uh his stripes as a legislator while. also being really attuned uh to what folks know.  And I'll just point to one uh one now. I'll point. to one uh instance of his leadership. you know,  his work when it came to Kilmar Abrego Garcia, uh, his willingness to go and fly down, take a  real risk, uh, to raise the issue and force the. conversation. That's the kind of action I think  people want now. So, you couple that with his.

legislative acumen, uh, his time in Washington,  and then also the fact that he he represents a. real departure from the past. I I just think he'd  be a phenomenal leader. You mentioned the things. that you think Democrats need to address on day  one, tariffs, the Medicaid cuts, the Iran war. Hegsathth, Secretary Hexath was on the verge of  potentially facing an impeachment vote today, but Republican leaders were successful in killing  it. Is that something you want to see Democrats. revive? You imagine being Pete Hexath right  now? Like why are you still in your job? I mean,

it's an open question. Like Pete, like really just  open question. Why are you still doing this job? You are really bad at this. You are failing your  responsibility. You have mishandled this war and. nobody really actually understands what it is  you're about. every day you're talking about. fighting a new culture war, but like you're  supposed to be waging an actual war that is. actually illegal on its own terms. So just resign,  make it easy for everybody instead of in the end. getting taken out because that is clearly what's  happening. So Pete, just take it from me like. you're not good at this. I mean, you're talking  directly to Pete Hath. What do you say to those.

11 Democrats who didn't show up to vote tonight?  You should show up and do your job. I mean, it's. kind of surprising that Democrats are the reason  he's not going to face that vote, not Republicans, really. Look, I I mean, look, there's no question.  Everywhere I went in Michigan, the big questions. were, why does it cost me $80 to fill up my  truck? And why can't I afford a second pound. of ground beef at the grocery store? And that  goes back to one issue, which is this insane war. that we have no business fighting. And it's not  just that, but it's that every step of the way,

Pete Hexth has aided and abetted a president who  we all know is way out of his league. And so, you know, I I think it it is important for us to  be recognizing that Pete Hexath himself is the. tie to the affordability that all of us crave  uh when it comes to this administration. So, look, uh, you know, obviously I'm not going  to be in a position to vote to impeach. Uh, and I will assess any impeachment uh that is done  on its own merits, but it's really quite clear.

that Pete Hexth is failing his responsibilities  uh as Secretary of Defense. There are Democrats. who say it's not just Heg Seth that they want to  go after and potentially impeach and potentially. remove RFK Jr., others in the cabinet. Do  you believe that there are other cabinet. members? And can you do that and also balance the  other priorities that you mentioned? You know, the question of whether or not cabinet members are  doing their job well is a secondary question to. how do we address the crisis in in folks's life.  Right now, people are really struggling to be able.

to afford a tank of gas. They're really struggling  at the grocery store. They're struggling to see a. doctor. A lot of that goes back to policies that  have been perpetrated by folks like Pete Hexath or. RFK Jr. But if everything we're doing does not  actually address the problem in people's life, I think we're missing the mandate. So, it's really  important for us as we investigate to make sure. that every investigation that we pursue actually  ties back to the goal of making somebody's life. a little bit easier out there in a place like  Detroit or uh or Eskanaba in Michigan. Well, you know, Medicare for all has been a big platform  of yours that you have pushed and you've said that.

you want to get it passed. You've said that you  would even call it Trump Care for all if that's. what it took. Donald, if you're watching, we can  put your name on it. I know you like to put your. name on stuff. You can finally meet the unmet  promise uh in America to guarantee everybody. healthcare. So, it's on the table if you want  to do it. But are you being serious or you being. funny? No, I'm absolutely serious. Like, you would  totally vote for that. I don't care what it's. called. I want people to have healthcare in this  country. Really? Like, I really What you call it. is a secondary issue. If we're able to guarantee  everybody cradle to grave coverage without a.

co-ay, a premium or deductible, the security  of knowing that whatever happens in your life, you're going to be able to see a doctor without  getting hit by a bill that is going to put you. uh into a rears where you're going to have to  worry about medical debt 225 billion in this. country uh already. I think that would be a win.  So, if he wants to call it Trump Care for all, like I'm game. Do you think with Democrats  having control of the Senate and the House. that that could actually get passed? You know, I'm  really interested. I haven't I haven't tal talked.

to the president. Uh but I'm really interested in  understanding. He said that he has made peace with. the outcomes of the election. He understands uh  that they lost. Now, the question is, do you want. to actually try to get some things done over  the next two years? When I look at his moves, appointing Steven Miller as White House chief  of staff, it doesn't much feel like that's the. direction they want to go. appointing Jim Jordan  in the House uh as the the the the next minority. leader. But he said that he's willing to take a  posture to work with us on the things that we can.

work on. Right now, Americans are struggling under  the weight of very basic things that they cannot. afford. Healthcare is one of those things. You  know, people right now are about to step into or. already have uh started to make their selections  for insurance. They're noticing premiums that have. gone up double digits. That's on top of double  digits last year. One of the most important. things we can do to both address affordability and  then the ability to see a doctor is to guarantee. every single person public health insurance in  this country. That's what Medicare for all is. So again, what you call it is secondary. What  it does in your life. That's the whole point.

None of us ran to name things except for Donald  Trump. Most of us ran to actually solve problems. in people's lives. You need Trump signature,  but to get it passed, you need all Dem you. need Democrats to lead on that. Do you think  that your party can lead on that? I bet if the. president came out and said, you know, I'm going  to sign this if you call it Trump fair for all. I. think I think we might be able to do it. Um, you  know, I understand that uh this is the end goal. and I understand that not all of my colleagues uh  might be there and part of my job is to have the. conversation both broadly in with the public about  why this is where we need to go and then also.

uh more intimately with my colleagues both in the  House and the Senate about why we need to be doing. this. I I've been working on this question for  my entire career. Um, but I do think that this. is a moment right now where the public really is  demanding some real answers to their problems. We. saw that in an electoral outcome. And what better  way to answer the mandate that the American public. gave Democrats but to say, "Hey, look, we can  finally once and for all solve the challenge. of American healthcare in this country. We can  undo medical debt. can address the challenges. that people have so often when it comes to just  simply getting sick and being able to see a.