Democrat Abdul El-Sayed has declared victory in Michigan’s U.S. Senate race, a result that would make him the first Muslim elected to the United States Senate.
The 41-year-old physician addressed supporters at his campaign headquarters in Detroit at around 1:30 a.m. local time, according to U.S. media reports.
“Michigan, we did it! I am proud and honored to stand here as your senator-elect from the great state of Michigan,” El-Sayed said.
During his victory speech, he also used two common Islamic expressions, saying: “We can move from ‘inshallah’ to ‘alhamdulillah.’”
El-Sayed also criticized the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC, which had opposed his candidacy.
“Thank you for giving me the opportunity to beat you twice,” he said, referring to the group’s efforts to prevent his election.
He thanked voters for supporting a candidate who, he said, had been widely considered the less likely contender to win.
“You chose hate, Michigan chose hope”
El-Sayed also responded to attacks from political opponents, arguing that the criticism had targeted not only him but also the voters who supported his campaign.
Addressing his Republican rival, Mike Rogers, he said: “Mike, enjoy your retirement,” also making a reference to Rogers’ yachts.
“You chose hate, while Michigan chose hope,” El-Sayed declared.
During the campaign, El-Sayed had also faced criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, who called him a “dangerous jihadist” and deliberately referred to him by the wrong name, “Mohammed El-Sayed.”
Trump also suggested that El-Sayed should be required to pass through metal detectors, while Rogers sought to associate him with the Muslim Brotherhood.
Democrats and local religious leaders criticized the remarks as anti-Muslim rhetoric. El-Sayed denied having any links to the organization and described the attacks against him as Islamophobic.
Former U.S. President Barack Obama also voiced support for El-Sayed on Election Day in a video posted on social media.
Who is Abdul El-Sayed?
El-Sayed is the son of Egyptian immigrants and works as a physician and epidemiologist. He previously served as Detroit’s health commissioner and led the public health department in Wayne County.
On foreign policy, he has called for an end to all U.S. military assistance to Israel, including support for missile defense systems. He has also repeatedly accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.
In the summer primary, El-Sayed narrowly defeated Congresswoman Haley Stevens. Stevens later endorsed Republican candidate Rogers.
Rogers, a former congressman and FBI agent, previously ran for the Senate in 2024, when he lost to Democrat Elissa Slotkin by approximately 20,000 votes.
With 78 percent of ballots counted, El-Sayed was leading with 51.8 percent, compared with 46.2 percent for Rogers. According to NBC News projections cited in the report, Rogers would need to win approximately 58.7 percent of the remaining votes to overtake his opponent.
