-
Democrat Abdul El-Sayed has defeated Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan’s Senate election, becoming the first Muslim elected to the United States Senate.
-
The 42-year-old former public health official won the closely contested race after facing sustained attacks from President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
-
Days before the election, El-Sayed called Trump “an idiot” and accused Vance of lacking a soul and charisma during a televised interview.
-
El-Sayed campaigned on universal healthcare, reducing living costs and curbing corporate influence, while rejecting allegations questioning his loyalty to the United States.
November 4, (THEWILL) – Democrat Abdul El-Sayed has won Michigan’s United States Senate election, defeating Republican candidate Mike Rogers to become the first Muslim elected to the US Senate.
The 42-year-old former public health official defeated Rogers, a former Republican congressman and FBI agent backed by President Donald Trump and the national Republican leadership,
The election was held to fill the seat of retiring Democratic Senator, Gary Peters, who had represented Michigan in the Senate since 2015.
The result makes El-Sayed the first Muslim American elected to the Senate, breaking a longstanding barrier in the country’s national legislature.
Speaking at the Michigan Democratic Party’s election-night gathering in Detroit, El-Sayed declared: “Michigan, we did it.”
He also took aim at his Republican opponent and those who had targeted his Muslim faith during the campaign.
“You chose hate, and Michigan chose hope”, he said, referring to Rogers and the attacks against him.
According to The Wall Street Journal, El-Sayed condemned what he described as one of the ugliest campaigns in recent memory, accusing Trump and other Republicans of using his religion and identity against him.
El-Sayed Takes On Trump, Vance Before Election
The victory followed an increasingly bitter exchange between El-Sayed and senior figures in the Trump administration, particularly in the final days of the campaign.
On October 28, during an appearance on *Hasan Minhaj Doesn’t Know*, El-Sayed launched a direct attack on Trump and Vance, questioning their character and leadership.
Describing Trump, he said: “Donald Trump is an idiot.”
He acknowledged that the president had a particular ability to attract public attention but attributed it to what he described as his craving for attention and use of bullying tactics.
El-Sayed was equally critical of Vance, saying the Vice President was intelligent but lacked character.
“JD Vance is a smart person, but he has no actual soul, and he has no actual charisma”, he said.
He accused Vance of seeking to please whoever wielded the greatest power, adding that the Vice-President’s approach was to “suck up to the strongest person in the room to do their bidding”.
The remarks came after Vance had repeatedly attacked El-Sayed during the campaign, including describing him as a “weasel” and questioning his commitment to the United States.
Trump had also made a series of inflammatory statements about the Democratic candidate, accusing him of supporting jihadists and suggesting that he should be subjected to additional security screening if elected to the Senate.
At a campaign rally in Michigan, Trump said El-Sayed should not be allowed to enter the Senate without passing through a metal detector.
The Democrat rejected the allegations and maintained that his campaign was focused on issues affecting ordinary Americans, including healthcare, economic hardship and the cost of living.
READ ALSO:
From Public Health Official To Senate
Born to Egyptian immigrant parents, El-Sayed is a physician by training and previously served as director of the Wayne County Department of Health, as well as executive director of the Detroit Health Department.
He first attracted significant political attention in 2018 when he contested the Michigan governorship but lost the Democratic primary.
His emergence as a leading contender in the 2026 Senate race followed a successful campaign for the Democratic nomination, in which he defeated Representative Haley Stevens, the candidate backed by sections of the party establishment.
The primary exposed divisions within the Democratic Party over its direction, particularly the growing influence of progressive candidates and the party’s approach to healthcare, corporate financing of elections and US support for Israel.
El-Sayed’s campaign focused on reducing the cost of living for working families, expanding access to healthcare and limiting the influence of wealthy donors and corporations in American politics.
A central part of his platform was Medicare for All, a proposal for a government-funded universal healthcare system championed by progressive Democrats. He also called for reforms to campaign financing and measures to curb the influence of large corporations and wealthy interests in government.
His campaign attracted support from prominent progressive figures, including Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Trump, Republicans Targeted His Faith
The Michigan contest became increasingly bitter as Trump and Republican allies sought to portray El-Sayed as unsuitable for the Senate because of his Muslim faith and political positions.
Trump endorsed Rogers and repeatedly attacked El-Sayed during the campaign, including making references to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks while urging Michigan voters to reject the Democratic candidate.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz also made allegations linking El-Sayed to the Muslim Brotherhood, while Rogers questioned his opponent’s positions on national security.
El-Sayed denied having any connection with the Muslim Brotherhood.
Vance also joined the criticism, describing El-Sayed as “very, very evil” and accusing him of prioritising grievances over the interests of Michigan residents.
El-Sayed responded by saying that what was truly evil was taking healthcare away from working people to provide tax cuts for billionaires, making families pay more for groceries and fuel, and dividing Americans for political gain.
Israel, Healthcare And Cost Of Living Dominated Campaign
El-Sayed’s positions on Israel also became a major issue during the campaign. He opposed US military aid to Israel and described Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide, a position that attracted criticism from pro-Israel groups and some Democratic voters.
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), through its political spending network, invested heavily in efforts to prevent his emergence as the Democratic nominee.
The organisation’s involvement intensified divisions within the party during the primary, while El-Sayed made campaign financing and the influence of outside political money central issues in his appeal to voters.
His election also marks a historic moment for Muslim representation in the United States Congress, with the Michigan Democrat set to become the first Muslim member of the US Senate.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
