Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive favourite, has defeated Republican Mike Rogers in a bitter contest for Michiganās open Senate seat, becoming the first Muslim to enter the US Senate. His victory marks a major win for the Democratic Partyās left wing in one of the country's key swing states.Abdul El-Sayed, Democratic US Senate candidate from Michigan, during an election night event with Michigan Democrats in Detroit, Michigan, US, early on Wednesday, Nov.
4, 2026. (Bloomberg)Addressing hundreds of cheering supporters at his election headquarters in Detroit, the senator-elect declared: āMichigan, we did it!ā Supporters celebrated his victory, screaming and hugging each other as he delivered his speech.El-Sayed also took aim at US Vice President JD Vance and President Donald Trump, both of whom had repeatedly criticised him during the campaign. Trump, in particular, had subjected him to Islamophobic attacks and mocked his Arabic name.āJD, habibi, it is an ironyāyou are constitutionally obligated to swear me in, in January," he said, AFP reported."Donald, I know you struggle with my name, so when JD swears me in, you can call me senator,ā El-Sayed added.El-Sayed's feud with Vance intensified after he sarcastically questioned whether the vice president's late, white Appalachian-born grandfather would have approved of his Indian American wife, NBC News reported.Trump's attacks on El-Sayed were more pointed, targeting his faith and frequently referring to the senator-elect by his middle name, Mohamed.Reflecting on the challenges he faced during the campaign, El-Sayed thanked his supporters for backing what he described as an unlikely candidacy.āYou took a chance on the unlikeliest of candidates, so thank you,ā he told the crowd, adding, āThis is all yours.āHe also thanked voters for opening their churches, synagogues and homes to him during the campaign, saying he was "so proud and honoured" to become senator-elect.Who is Abdul El-Sayed?The son of Egyptian immigrants, El-Sayed is a former public health official who has never held elected office.
The 42-year-old overcame substantial outside spending in both the Democratic primary and the general election through a grassroots campaign centred on universal healthcare, the news agency AP reported.During the campaign, El-Sayed attracted large crowds at rallies across Michigan, including in traditionally Republican strongholds.He also pledged to take "money out of politics" and tackle the economic hardships that have fuelled voters' appetite for a political outsider who can challenge the status quo.His win also makes him the first Democratic physician to serve in the US Senate since 1969.El-Sayed also received backing from prominent progressive leaders, including Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. His win is expected to give fresh momentum to the progressive movement ahead of the 2028 presidential election, demonstrating that candidates campaigning on its agenda can succeed in crucial battleground states.