Abdul El-Sayed: Democratic Party candidate turns into US’ first Muslim senator after Michigan success
Abdul El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants, is a progressive, left-wing Democrat who, in the past, has supported universal government-funded healthcare and workers’ rights
Abdul El-Sayed speaks during a midterm election night watch party(Image: Getty Images)
Abdul El-Sayed — a progressive left-wing Democrat — has given his party a breakthrough victory in one of the nation’s most important swing states.
El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants, will become the nation’s first Muslim senator. The politician, the son of Egyptian immigrants, overcame Republican Mike Rogers in a bitter campaign for Michigan’s open Senate seat.
The former public health official who has never held elected office rose from a double-digit defeat in Michigan’s Democratic gubernatorial primary eight years ago to win a seat in the US Senate. His win comes amid a backdrop of a string of crushing defeats for the Republican Party.
El-Sayed’s grassroots campaign overcomes big money
Abdul El-Sayed, aged 42, overcame massive outside spending in both the Democratic primary and general election with a grassroots campaign built around universal healthcare, ending the influence of outside money in elections and sharp criticism of Israel.
Backed by progressive leaders, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, his victory will strengthen the progressive movement ahead of the 2028 presidential election. It offers evidence that candidates embracing its agenda can win in fiercely contested battleground states, experts say.
Republicans rally behind Mike Rogers
Republicans had cleared the field for Mike Rogers, a former congressman who narrowly lost a Senate race to then-Rep. Elissa Slotkin two years ago.
But Rogers struggled to balance his loyalty to President Donald Trump with growing concerns over rising prices linked to the war in Iran and economic turmoil caused by Trump’s tariffs.
Rogers sought to broaden his support among Democrats and independents, particularly Black and Jewish voters. However, the political environment presented fresh challenges for the Republican nominee.
A former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee who built much of his career around national security, Rogers had to contend with high fuel prices and an unpopular war with Iran while remaining aligned with Trump.
“The war with Iran needs to end, and end quickly,” Rogers wrote on social media in September.
Israel becomes a central campaign issue
The campaign was marked by bitter attacks over El-Sayed’s criticism of Israel. Trump and other Republicans repeatedly sought to associate him with terrorist organisations, despite no evidence of such ties, while questioning his loyalty to the United States.
El-Sayed also faced questions about his ability to unite Democrats following a divisive primary, particularly among Black voters in Detroit and Jewish voters in its suburbs.
His primary opponent, Rep. Haley Stevens, stunned Democrats by endorsing Rogers on November 1. She argued that El-Sayed had not done enough to address her concerns and those of the Jewish community.
The contentious primary had exposed divisions within the Democratic coalition. Some members of Michigan’s Jewish community criticised El-Sayed’s rhetoric, including his remark that “hurt people hurt people” following an attack on a Michigan synagogue earlier in the year.
He subsequently apologised, saying he was “sorry” to “anyone who feels like my comments might have been hurtful.”
His campaign appearances alongside Hasan Piker, a popular political streamer who has made inflammatory comments about Israel, Jews and the September 11 attacks, also became a target of criticism.
El-Sayed defied AIPAC and it’s huge $30million spending
El-Sayed emerged from a bruising August Democratic primary against establishment-backed Stevens, which attracted nearly $60million (£50million) in outside spending.
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) spent nearly $30m (£22m) opposing El-Sayed, its largest investment in a single race. The spending reflected the organisation’s opposition to his outspoken criticism of Israel.
Despite the financial firepower deployed against him, dad-of-two El-Sayed prevailed, reinforcing his campaign’s central argument against the influence of wealthy donors and outside political organisations.
Democrats – including Barack Obama –mobilise behindEl-Sayed
Some Democrats worried about Black voter turnout in Detroit after Stevens carried Wayne County in the primary.
Former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Kamala Harris were among the prominent Democrats who campaigned alongside El-Sayed in the city, seeking to mobilise voters and consolidate support.
El-Sayed’s unapologetically progressive platform had made some moderate Democrats uneasy.
At its centre was Medicare for All, a proposal to replace the current combination of private and public health insurance with a government-run, single-payer system.
Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders helped build momentum for El-Sayed early in the campaign, while Ocasio-Cortez joined him for a final campaign swing through Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and the Detroit area.
