El-Sayed wins Michigan Senate seat, first Muslim American in chamber
The 42-year-old former public health official defeats GOP challenger Mike Rogers in a closely contested race.
By Lauren Foster ·
Detroit residents can expect a new voice in Washington. The Associated Press has declared Democrat Abdul El-Sayed the winner of the U.S. Senate race in Michigan, ending a long fight for the seat held by Democrats since 1979. El-Sayed becomes the first Muslim American to serve in the upper chamber.
The 42-year-old former public health official defeated former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers. Rogers lost his first Senate bid in 2024. El-Sayed’s campaign focused on single-payer healthcare and limiting corporate influence in politics. He also tapped into anger over the cost of living and corruption to draw in young and infrequent voters.
El-Sayed is not a democratic socialist, a distinction he made while navigating a contentious primary. That primary saw him narrowly defeat Rep. Haley Stevens by about one percentage point. He won despite opposition from Michigan heavyweights like Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and retiring Sen. Gary Peters, who backed Stevens.
The general election path remained rocky. Stevens reversed her earlier support for the Democratic ticket in the closing days and endorsed Rogers. Polls showed a tight race throughout. El-Sayed criticized Rogers and President Trump for using Islamophobic rhetoric during the campaign.
Trump endorsed Rogers early in the race. Rogers embraced some of the president’s claims about widespread election fraud, a stance he had previously condemned after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. As November neared, Rogers tried to distance himself from certain presidential policies, including the war in Iran.
El-Sayed’s campaign was not without friction. His positions on Israel alienated some Jewish voters, particularly after comments regarding a truck-ramming attack at a synagogue preschool in metro Detroit. He later apologized. He also campaigned with controversial streamer Hasan Piker during the primary.
El-Sayed first entered politics in 2018 with an unsuccessful bid for governor. He has since run the health departments for Wayne County and the city of Detroit. He has signaled he intends to be a prominent voice in the Senate, especially with Michigan’s role in the 2028 presidential nominating process approaching.
