Democrat Abdul El-Sayed has made history by becoming the first Muslim elected to the United States Senate after winning Michigan's Senate race. He defeated Republican Mike Rogers in a bitter campaign, giving the Democratic Party's left wing a breakthrough victory in one of the nation's most important swing states.
"Michigan, we did it!" El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants, said in a speech at his election headquarters in Detroit.
"I am so proud and honoured to stand here as your senator-elect from the great state of Michigan."
A former public health official who has never held elected office, El-Sayed rose from a double-digit defeat in Michigan's Democratic gubernatorial primary eight years ago to win a seat in the US Senate. Backed by progressive leaders including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, his victory will bolster the movement ahead of the 2028 presidential election, offering evidence that candidates embracing its agenda can win in critical battleground states.
The Michigan doctor won despite a last-minute hiccup in his campaign when Congresswoman Haley Stevens, who lost the Democratic primary to El-Sayed, came out in support of Rogers at the 11th hour.
The Campaign
El-Sayed overcame massive outside spending in both the Democratic primary and general election with a grassroots campaign built around universal health care, removing outside money from elections and sharp criticism of Israel. He rallied voters on leftist campaign promises to hold a key US Senate seat for Democrats, taking over from the retiring Gary Peters.
"You deserve to be able to see a doctor without getting a huge bill," he told Michiganders on the eve of the vote, vowing to upend America's divisive multi-billion-dollar for-profit medical system.
During the race, El-Sayed drew huge campaign crowds across the state, even in deeply conservative Republican areas.
El-Sayed also vowed to get "money out of politics" and address the harsh economic troubles that have voters yearning for a political newcomer to shake up the status quo.
The election makes El-Sayed the first Democratic doctor in the Senate since 1969.
The Narrative
Republicans, including US President Donald Trump, ran a scorched-earth campaign to paint Democrats as communists and branded El-Sayed a terrorist who would endanger Americans.
El-Sayed faced questions about whether he could unite Democrats after a contentious primary, particularly among Black voters in Detroit and Jewish voters in its suburbs.
(With inputs from AP)
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