Abdul El-Sayed wins Michigan race to become first Muslim elected to US Senate

Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan’s closely contested Senate election on Tuesday, becoming the first Muslim elected to the US Senate after defeating Republican Mike Rogers, President Donald Trump’s chosen candidate. With more than 95 percent of ballots counted, the Democratic physician and former public health official was on course to secure more than 52 percent of the vote.

Addressing supporters early Wednesday after his projected victory, El-Sayed, 42, responded to personal attacks from Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Trump had mocked his name and labelled him a “jihadist”, while Vance had called him a “psychopath”. El-Sayed said that when he takes office in January, Trump could address him as “senator”.

The result represents a significant gain for the Democratic Party’s progressive wing in a battleground state that Trump won comfortably two years earlier. El-Sayed campaigned to succeed retiring Democratic Senator Gary Peters, promising to confront economic inequality, make healthcare more accessible and reduce corporate influence in Washington.

In his victory remarks, El-Sayed highlighted the financial pressures facing Michigan households, including grocery bills and fuel costs. He supports Medicare for All, a government-funded universal healthcare programme, and argues that income and employment should not determine access to treatment. He has also criticised Trump’s tariffs on Canada, saying they have damaged Michigan’s economy because of its close ties with its northern neighbour.

Foreign policy was another central issue in the campaign. El-Sayed opposed the US-Israeli war against Iran, blaming it for higher gasoline prices and inflation, and called for an end to US military assistance to Israel. He accused Israel’s government of genocide in Gaza and argued that American tax revenue should support education, healthcare and childcare instead of military action abroad.

His positions drew criticism from opponents and put him at odds with parts of his own party. Trump accused him of hatred towards Jews and Israel, while Rogers alleged connections and sympathies with the Muslim Brotherhood. During their final televised debate in October, Rogers suggested that El-Sayed shared supporters with Hamas. El-Sayed strongly rejected those allegations. Far-right commentators also portrayed his use of the Arabic expression “inshallah”, meaning “God willing”, as evidence of a religious threat.

El-Sayed secured the Democratic nomination in August by defeating Congresswoman Haley Stevens, who had received open backing from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Primary campaign spending exceeded $50 million, including at least $30 million from AIPAC supporting Stevens. Although Stevens initially pledged to support El-Sayed in November, she endorsed Rogers shortly before the election, prompting widespread criticism.

Born and raised in metropolitan Detroit, El-Sayed is of Egyptian descent. He was valedictorian of the University of Michigan’s 2007 graduating class, became a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford and earned his medical degree at Columbia University. His public health career included work as an epidemiologist and leadership roles in Detroit’s Health Department and Wayne County’s Department of Health, Human and Veteran Services.

His first campaign for elected office came in 2018, when he sought Michigan’s governorship on a platform of broader healthcare access and opposition to corporate influence. He lost the Democratic primary to Gretchen Whitmer, who went on to become governor, but established himself as a prominent figure in state politics. He is married to psychiatrist Sarah Jukaku, and they have two daughters.