El-Sayed wins Michigan Senate seat
The former public health official defeats Mike Rogers, becoming the first Muslim member of the U.S. Senate.
By Harper Collins ·
Abdul El-Sayed defeated Republican challenger Mike Rogers on Wednesday to claim the open U.S. Senate seat in Michigan. The victory makes the 42-year-old epidemiologist the first Muslim elected to the upper chamber. He will assume office in December, replacing retiring Democrat Gary Peters.
The race was defined by intense partisan attacks and a late shift in Democratic support. Representative Haley Stevens, who lost the state primary, withdrew her planned endorsement for El-Sayed. She switched her backing to Rogers after attending a church service with the Republican on Sunday. Stevens cited her discomfort with El-Sayed’s stance on Israel and her public criticism of his campaign.
Financial backing played a major role in the contest. A group linked to AIPAC spent more than $30 million to assist Stevens in the primary. That organization returned to Michigan during the final weeks of the general election. Republican Vice President JD Vance, who will administer the oath of office, frequently targeted El-Sayed’s faith. Vance had previously clashed publicly with El-Sayed over family heritage comments.
President Donald Trump ramped up attacks on El-Sayed’s religion after the August primary. Trump referred to El-Sayed by his middle name, Mohamed, and led a chant of “Deport! Deport!” in Youngstown, Ohio. At a rally in Port Huron on October 25, Trump stated he was there to stop a “jihadist Muslim Brotherhood member” from becoming a senator. El-Sayed responded at an event with Senator Bernie Sanders that day, telling the president to call him Sen. Mohamed.
El-Sayed ran on an economic platform emphasizing Medicare for All and reducing political influence. His campaign slogan was “Money out of politics, money in your pockets and Medicare for All.” Polling indicated this message resonated with Trump voters. Rogers struggled to differentiate his positions on tariffs and the war in Iran from the president’s views.
In a recent NBC Nightly News interview, Rogers described himself as a “targeted and temporary tariff guy.” He expressed uncertainty about the ongoing conflict with Iran, saying he did not think it would continue. The result extends a long trend in Michigan where Republicans have not won a Senate seat since 1994.
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