DETROIT — Dearborn businessman and Civil Rights Advocate Nasser Beydoun has announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate to fill the seat being vacated by retiring U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow.

Beydoun is the third Democrat to formally file for the race, following U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin of Lansing and attorney Zack Burns of Ann Arbor.

“Michigan, like this country, is so much stronger when everyone has a voice,” Beydoun said. “This campaign is about empowering people and small businesses to rebuild this country, it’s about protecting democracy and ensuring we have a society where everyone can thrive. That’s going to take new leadership with a proven record of standing up to injustice, fighting for equity and championing civil rights so everyone can pursue the American Dream.”

Beydoun is the former chairman and executive director of the American Arab Chamber of Commerce and has led the Arab American Civil Rights League (ACRL), since 2015. He is the principal owner of EZ Business Solutions, a Michigan-based consulting firm, and is founder of District 12 Restaurants in Dearborn and Dearborn Heights.

Beydoun said that he is an immigrant son of a proud UAW member who brought their family to the United States from Lebanon in 1969.

“My father would wake up at 5 a.m. every morning, grab his lunch and head to work in the Ford plant in Wayne,” he said. “My mother clipped coupons from the Sunday paper so we could make ends meet. They did this so my four sisters, brother and I could have a better life than they did. That’s all anyone wants — the opportunity to work hard, live in safe neighborhoods and send their kids to college without mortgaging their future. That’s what elected officials need to be focused on, but too many are there only for the power and looking for their next office. Like so many, I’m tired of our government failing us.”

The 58-year-old business owner also owns the Marathon gas station on the corner of W. McNichols and Wyoming roads, which was the first to participate in the city of Detroit’s Project Green Light to improve neighborhood safety, reduce crime and promote revitalization and small business growth.

“For more than 20 years, we’ve been on this corner doing our part to keep the community safe and we are proud to be part of the revitalization that’s occurred here,” Beyodun said. “People said we were crazy to come to this part of the city when we did and they were wrong. Now people are saying an immigrant Arab small business owner with a funny sounding name can’t win this race and represent this great city and state in the U.S. Senate. That’s fine, people have bet against me my entire life and they’ve been wrong every time.”

Beydoun has also previously served as co-chair of BRIDGES (Building Respect in Diverse Groups to Enhance Sensitivity) and on boards of the Detroit Crime Stoppers, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation and Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. He was also named Michiganian of the Year by The Detroit News in 2006.

More information on Beydoun’s mission and campaign can be found at www.NasserforMI.com.