Abdul El-Sayed Makes History as First Muslim US Senator

Abdul El-Sayed made history Wednesday by winning Michigan’s Senate race, becoming the first Muslim elected to the US Senate. The Guardian reported ^[1] that the progressive Democrat defeated Republican Mike Rogers in a contest marked by Islamophobic attacks from President Donald Trump and his allies. El-Sayed’s victory secures a Democratic majority in the Senate, as the party took control of the upper chamber earlier this week.

NBC News projected ^[5] that El-Sayed, 42, handily beat Rogers, ending a Republican drought for Michigan Senate seats that has persisted since 1994. The win follows a bruising campaign where Trump falsely labeled El-Sayed a “jihadist” and claimed he was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, despite El-Sayed’s repeated denials. CBS News noted ^[6] that Texas Sen. Ted Cruz also joined the chorus, suggesting electing El-Sayed posed a risk to Americans.

El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants, campaigned on a platform of universal healthcare, a wealth tax, and ending US military aid to Israel. He credited a grassroots movement for the win, telling supporters in Detroit, “You welcomed me in your homes, your churches, your synagogues,” according to the Guardian ^[1]. His victory speech included the Arabic phrase “Alhamdullah,” which he cheekily translated for critics as “praise be to God.”

The race was heavily influenced by outside money. The Mirror reported ^[2] that AIPAC spent nearly $30 million in the Democratic primary to defeat El-Sayed, a record for a single race. Despite this, El-Sayed overcame his primary rival, Rep. Haley Stevens, who unexpectedly endorsed Rogers days before the election. Stevens cited concerns over El-Sayed’s ties to controversial streamer Hasan Piker and his stance on Israel. El-Sayed dismissed the endorsement, telling reporters he didn’t think about Stevens and that the move didn’t matter.

Rogers, a former congressman and Trump ally, struggled to distance himself from the president’s unpopular policies on Iran and tariffs. While Rogers attempted to appeal to moderates, the political environment favored the Democrats. A Fox News poll cited by the Guardian ^[1] found that while 54% of voters thought El-Sayed’s positions were extreme, 51% also viewed Rogers as too close to Trump. Ultimately, voters in the swing state chose El-Sayed over the status quo, rejecting what he called an America “too small for some of us.”