Abdul El-Sayed, a 42-year-old epidemiologist and former public health official, has won the highly competitive Senate race in Michigan. NBC News projects that El-Sayed defeated his Republican opponent, former Representative Mike Rogers, in a victory that marks a significant milestone for the state's political landscape.
This win makes El-Sayed the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate. His path to victory required overcoming significant challenges, including a wave of Islamophobia fueled by President Donald Trump and other political figures. El-Sayed also navigated a late-breaking setback when former primary rival and Representative Haley Stevens reneged on her pledge to support him. Stevens, who had lost in the Democratic primary, switched her endorsement to Rogers after attending church with the Republican on Sunday.
Addressing supporters early on Wednesday, El-Sayed sought to clarify his position amidst the noise of the final days. He stated, “They tried to confuse you, so let me just set the record straight. I love America.” He directed sharp comments toward Rogers, who is now 63, saying, “So Mike, enjoy your retirement. See, you chose hate, and Michigan chose hope. May we never have to see the likes of you in this state again.”
El-Sayed’s victory extends a long-standing trend in Michigan politics where Republicans have failed to win a Senate seat since 1994. He will succeed retiring Democratic Senator Gary Peters. The race was closely watched due to El-Sayed’s alignment with progressive figures such as Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. His criticism of the Israeli government, which he accused of genocide, remained a consistent point of contention throughout the campaign.
The election was financially intense, with a group affiliated with AIPAC spending over $30 million in an effort to help Stevens unseat El-Sayed in the primary. That group re-engaged in Michigan during the closing weeks of the general election. Stevens linked her defection to El-Sayed’s stance on Israel and her feeling of unwelcomeness at his campaign events after she began voicing her criticisms more publicly.
Republican allies, including Vice President JD Vance, attempted to frame El-Sayed’s views on Israel as evidence of religious bias. Vance, who has had public disputes with El-Sayed, will be the official to swear the new senator into office. The conflict between the two grew out of El-Sayed’s sarcastic questioning of Vance’s family background relative to his wife’s heritage. Rogers also accused El-Sayed of having ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, an international organization founded in Egypt in 1928, a claim El-Sayed has consistently denied.
President Trump escalated his attacks on El-Sayed’s faith following the August primary victory. He falsely asserted that jihadists were gaining influence in U.S. politics and at one point led a crowd in Youngstown, Ohio, in a chant of “Deport! Deport!” Trump frequently referred to El-Sayed by his middle name, Mohamed. In response, El-Sayed remarked at an event with Sanders on October 25, “That’ll be Sen. Mohamed to you, bro.”
During a rally in Port Huron, Michigan, on the same day, Trump stated, “I’m here to keep a jihadist Muslim Brotherhood member from becoming a United States senator, and that’s the fact. We’re not going to let that happen.”
El-Sayed campaigned on a slogan focused on economic issues: “Money out of politics, money in your pockets and Medicare for All.” Polling suggested this message helped him connect with Trump voters. Rogers struggled to distinguish himself from the President, particularly regarding the war in Iran and tariffs. In an interview with NBC Nightly News this month, Rogers described himself as a “targeted and temporary tariff guy” and expressed uncertainty about the Iran conflict, saying, “Well, we’ll find out. I don’t think so.”
